OraPharm Announces In Vitro Study on Oral Probiotics Inhibiting RSV and Rotavirus

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] An in vitro study has shown that oral probiotics inhibit respiratory and intestinal infectious viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rotavirus A (RVA).

OraPharm, a company specializing in oral probiotics, announced on the 17th that a paper titled "In vitro antiviral effects of oral probiotics oraCMS1 against respiratory viruses and rotavirus" was featured in the international journal Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins. The study was conducted over six months starting in May 2020.

The viruses used in this study are representative viruses that cause respiratory infections and are prevalent in Korea during autumn and winter. These include RSV, which is the most common cause of pneumonia in children under five; influenza A virus (H1N1), known as the novel influenza virus and a cause of the flu; and RVA, which is transmitted orally, causes enteritis, and is the most common cause of diarrhea in infants and young children. The testing method followed ASTM E1052-20 standards to evaluate the efficacy of sterile supernatant of oraCMS1 against RSV, influenza A virus, and RVA.

The sterile supernatant of oraCMS1 was mixed with each virus culture and incubated for 1, 2, and 4 hours, after which viral activity was assessed. Viral activity was measured by infecting host cells with the virus and analyzing the 50% tissue culture infectious dose. The results showed that oraCMS1 inactivated up to 99.0% of RSV after 1 hour and up to 99.9% after 2 and 4 hours. For influenza A virus and RVA, the inactivation rates reached up to 99.9% and 99.0%, respectively, after 2 hours.

An OraPharm official stated, "This is the first domestic study confirming the efficacy of oral probiotics against viruses, suggesting that oral probiotics may help reduce the risk of respiratory and intestinal infections. However, since this is an in vitro study, human clinical trials are necessary for more accurate efficacy verification."