ENA Respiratory secures AUD $2.98 million to advance INNA-051 antiviral nasal spray into asthma trial
核心洞察
ENA Respiratory (搜索) has been awarded AUD $2,980,000 from Australia's Biointelect Venturer (搜索) to support a first-in-patients study of its antiviral nasal spray INNA-051 in adults with asthma (搜索).
The Phase Ib study (ENA-A-04) will be a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intranasal INNA-051, with dosing expected to start in Q1 2027.
INNA-051 is a virus-agnostic, once-weekly dry powder nasal spray that primes natural antiviral host defences in the nose against respiratory viruses including colds, flu, RSV (搜索) and coronaviruses.
ENA Respiratory (搜索), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical startup developing host defence enhancers for the prevention of complications associated with respiratory viral infections in at-risk populations, has been awarded AUD $2,980,000 in funding from Australia's Biointelect Venturer (搜索) as part of its inaugural funding round. The non-dilutive funding will support a first-in-patients study in Australia of INNA-051 in patients with asthma (搜索).
The Phase Ib study (ENA-A-04) will be a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intranasal INNA-051 in adults with asthma (搜索). The trial is expected to start in Q1 2027.
A virus-agnostic approach to respiratory defence
INNA-051 is a virus-agnostic, once-weekly, dry powder nasal spray that primes the natural antiviral host defences in the nose, where common respiratory viruses such as colds, flu, RSV (搜索) and coronaviruses primarily enter, enabling the body to respond more quickly when challenged. The therapy aims to reduce the incidence of complications in patients at higher risk of severe illness.
The product is aimed particularly at older people and those with chronic health conditions who are at greater risk of complications from respiratory viruses including RSV (搜索), coronavirus (搜索) and rhinovirus (搜索). ENA Respiratory (搜索) sees the treatment as a possible complement to vaccination, not a replacement.
Ongoing clinical development
ENA Respiratory (搜索) is currently conducting the Phase II 'POSITS' study evaluating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a once-weekly treatment with INNA-051 for up to three months. The study assesses the treatment's impact on the incidence, duration and severity of symptomatic infections caused by common respiratory viruses, including influenza (搜索), RSV (搜索), rhinovirus (搜索), and coronaviruses, in young adult participants at risk of illness due to living or working in crowded environments.
The first stage of the study was successfully completed in May 2026, and Part B is expected to start dosing in the next North American respiratory virus season. INNA-051 is currently in a Phase IIa community study in the USA.
Funding through a national incubator
Biointelect Venturer (搜索) is Australia's new national incubator for vaccine and infectious disease innovation, funded by the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) through the 2024 BioMedTech Incubator Grant Opportunity. The program was established with a $32.9 million Medical Research Future Fund grant under the federal government's Medical Research Commercialisation initiative.
The non-dilutive funding will be accompanied by up to two years of commercialisation support, mentoring and access to Australian and international networks. ENA Respiratory (搜索) was among six Australian companies developing vaccines, antiviral treatments, and vaccine-production technologies that shared $10.48 million in Biointelect Venture's first funding round.
Leah Goodman, Biointelect's chief executive, said the program would combine funding with practical support on development strategy, clinical and regulatory pathways, market access and global partnering.