In vitro inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 with 0.5% povidone iodine nasal spray (Nasodine) at clinically relevant concentrations and timeframes using tissue culture and PCR based assays
Tucker et al.,
In vitro inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 with 0.5% povidone iodine nasal spray (Nasodine) at clinically relevant..,
bioRxiv, doi:10.1101/2021.01.31.426979 (Preprint) (In Vitro)
In Vitro study showing that PVP-I eliminated the viability of SARS-CoV-2 with short exposure times. Authors find that PCR alone may not be adequate for viral quantification and recommend incorporating cell culture to assess viral viability.
8 In Vitro studies support the efficacy of povidone-iodine
[Anderson, Bidra, Frank, Hassandarvish, Meister, Pelletier, Tucker, Xu].
Tucker et al., 1 Feb 2021, preprint, 6 authors.
In Vitro studies are an important part of preclinical research, however results may be very different in vivo.
Abstract: bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.31.426979; this version posted February 1, 2021. The copyright holder for this
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.
In vitro inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 with 0.5% povidone iodine nasal spray (Nasodine) at clinically
relevant concentrations and timeframes using tissue culture and PCR based assays
AUTHORS
Tucker, S.P., Goodall, S., Julander, J., Mendenhall, M., Friedland, P. and Molloy, P.L.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
There has been considerable speculation regarding the potential of PVP-I nasal disinfection as an
adjunct to other countermeasures during the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Nasodine is a
commercial formulation of 0.5% PVP-I that has been evaluated for safety and efficacy in human trials
as a treatment for the common cold, including a Phase III trial (ANZCTR: ACTRN12619000764134).
This study presents the first report of the in vitro efficacy of this formulation against SARS-CoV-2.
METHODS
We conducted in vitro experiments to determine if the PVP-I formulation inactivated SARS-CoV-2
using two independent assays and virus isolates, and incorporating both PCR-based detection and
cell culture methods to assess residual virus after exposure to the formulation.
RESULTS
Based on cell culture results, the PVP-I formulation was found to rapidly inactivate SARS-CoV-2
isolates in vitro in short timeframes (15 seconds to 15 minutes) consistent with the minimum and
maximum potential residence time in the nose. The Nasodine formula was found to be more
effective than 0.5% PVP-I in saline. Importantly, it was found that the formulation inactivated
culturable virus but had no effect on PCR-detectable viral RNA.
CONCLUSIONS
The PVP-I formulation eliminated the viability of SARS-CoV-2 virus with short exposure times
consistent with nasal use. PCR alone may not be adequate for viral quantification in nasal PVP-I
studies; future studies should incorporate cell culture to assess viral viability. Nasal disinfection with
PVP-I may be a useful intervention for newly-diagnosed COVID-19 patients to reduce transmission
risk and disease progression to the lower respiratory tract.
bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.31.426979; this version posted February 1, 2021. The copyright holder for this
preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.
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