APR Applied Pharma Research SA, a company that deals with the development of technologies and distribution systems for pharmaceutical drugs and innovative products derived from them, announced on Thursday that it has commenced a study primary clinician to assess the effectiveness of its product codename APR-AOS2020, a class III medical device, intended to treat COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms.

The company is conducting the study at the hygiene unit of the Hospital IRCCS Policlinico San Martino in Genoa, Italy, coordinated by Prof Giancarlo Icardias, principal investigator.

The study will enrol a total of 57 patients with COVID-19 who have mild symptoms of the disease and will assess the efficacy and safety of the spray product in reducing viral load in the upper respiratory tract in newly infected individuals. The results are hoped to represent the starting point for the use of the product in the prevention of more serious symptoms, in decreasing the risk of infection and spread of the virus.