As part of the EIT’s Crisis Response Initiative, this activity directly contributes to the European Union’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The aim of SPIN project is to develop a nutritional supplement based on natural antiviral ingredients to support the immune system in the fight against infection by SARS-CoV-2.
It has been recently demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection limits autophagy by interfering with multiple metabolic pathways. The SPIN food supplement has been formulated to be rich in wheat germ polyamine, Spermidine, that plays a crucial role in favouring autophagy, and a broad-spectrum antiviral essential oil, rich in Eugenol, which acts by decreasing viral ability of replication. It would theoretically involve hindering or inhibiting the progression of the disease towards the more serious pulmonary forms, representing the existent mortality risk for those who contract SARS-CoV-2 and develop Covid-19.
This supplement is intended to cover the timeframe in which the vaccine is not yet available to all and afterwards, to mitigate contagious and symptom severity with the use of a natural, antiviral approach. It is not intended to replace or enhance the vaccines that are currently in development.
Moreover, this supplement may prove to have a protective activity against other viruses such as influenza, which may also pose a threat of epidemic in the EU population.
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