Summary
This study found that Johnson and Johnson's Baby Shampoo, which was tested as a topical virucidal agent in SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects, had no impact on reducing viral titers or symptom scores in treated subjects relative to controls, and lacked efficacy due to pharmacokinetic failure.
Key points
- Johnson and Johnson's Baby Shampoo (J&J) was tested as a topical virucidal agent in SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects.
- J&J irrigations had no impact on viral titers or symptom scores in treated subjects relative to controls.
- Lack of efficacy reflected pharmacokinetic failure, with the most virucidal J&J detergent components rapidly absorbed from nasal surfaces.
- This study emphasizes the need to assess the pharmacokinetic characteristics of virucidal agents on airway surfaces to guide clinical trials.
Notes
This study was reported in the NY Times (opens in a new tab), but the results were misrepresented. This study tested the efficacy of baby shampoo. Even though a control group was given hypertonic solution, it doesn’t report how they fared.
Abstract
The nose is the portal for SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting the nose as a target for topical antiviral therapies. Because detergents are virucidal, Johnson and Johnson's Baby Shampoo (J&J) was tested as a topical virucidal agent in SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects. Twice daily irrigation of J&J in hypertonic saline, hypertonic saline alone, or no intervention were compared (n = 24/group). Despite demonstrated safety and robust efficacy in in vitro virucidal assays, J&J irrigations had no impact on viral titers or symptom scores in treated subjects relative to controls. Similar findings were observed administering J&J to infected cultured human airway epithelia using protocols mimicking the clinical trial regimen. Additional studies of cultured human nasal epithelia demonstrated that lack of efficacy reflected pharmacokinetic failure, with the most virucidal J&J detergent components rapidly absorbed from nasal surfaces. This study emphasizes the need to assess the pharmacokinetic characteristics of virucidal agents on airway surfaces to guide clinical trials.