Claritas Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the company will focus its resources primarily on development of its nitric oxide-releasing compound, R-107, for the treatment of vaccine-resistant COVID-19, and other viral infections. The Science of R-107 and Nitric Oxide: R-107 Is a Nitric Oxide-Releasing Compound: R-107 is a nitric oxide-releasing compound. Following administration orally in a capsule, or by nasal spray, or by injection, R-107 enters the bloodstream, where it slowly releases nitric oxide systemically over 24 hours. Nitric Oxide is a Critical Part of the Body’s Natural Defense System Against Viruses. Nitric oxide is a natural molecule with antiviral properties that is produced by the body itself. It is an integral part of the body’s natural defense system. When a viral threat is present, white blood cells migrate to the area of infection and release a burst of nitric oxide that crosses into the infected cell and inactivates the virus, so that it is incapable of further replication and spread. Nitric Oxide - Kills Viruses on Contact: Nitric oxide is known to have a broad antiviral activity against multiple viruses, including those whose genes are encoded by RNA, so-called “RNA viruses”. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is responsible for COVID-19 infection, is an RNA virus. Other RNA viruses of importance that cause human disease include influenza, SARS, the common cold, hepatitis C, hepatitis E, West Nile fever, rabies, and measles. Vancouver-based SaNOtize Research and Development Corporation has recently announced anti-viral data from laboratory studies that were conducted by the Institute for Antiviral Research at Utah State University. The results of these studies confirm that nitric oxide administered through use of their proprietary delivery technology inactivated more than 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 virus within two minutes. R-107 - A Potential Breakthrough in Nitric Oxide Therapy: The historical challenge with nitric oxide therapy has been the difficulty of delivering the molecule in an effective and practical manner. Nitric oxide that exists as a gas must be delivered by inhalation therapy requiring use of a CPAP-like device and administration by trained respiratory therapists. For these reasons, use of nitric oxide gas use is expensive, complex, and cumbersome, and therefore its application has been quite limited. R-107, on the other hand, is a breakthrough compound designed to overcome the limitations of nitric oxide inhalation therapy. R-107 – A Potentially Superior Route of Administration Transforms Nitric Oxide into a Practical Therapy: Unlike nitric oxide gas, which must be administered as an inhalation therapy, R-107 is a liquid that may be readily administered orally in a capsule, or nasally though use of a nasal spray, or by a single intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. Due to its ease of administration, R-107 is expected to allow treatment without the need for special delivery equipment or trained respiratory therapists. In this manner, R-107 may overcome the challenges inherent in the administration of nitric oxide gas, and transform nitric oxide therapy into a potentially best-of-care treatment for COVID-19 infection, and potentially other viral infections as well. R-107 – Designed to Act Throughout the Body – Not Only in the Lungs: When inhaled, nitric oxide gas is absorbed into the lung tissues, where it has a half-life of only a few seconds. Accordingly, it is believed that inhaled nitric oxide may eliminate virus in the lungs, but does not survive long enough within the circulation to reach distant organs and eliminate their viral infection. In contrast, following administration of R-107 by either the oral, or nasal or injectable route, R-107 enters the bloodstream, where it is stable and can slowly release nitric oxide systemically over 24 hours. R-107’s systemic release of nitric oxide would thus potentially allow elimination of virus in all organs and tissues, not only in the lungs. In addition to its apparent advantages in systemic administration and simplicity of administration, R-107 does not lose its potency after prolonged periods of clinical use. In contrast, other nitric oxide donors in liquid form, such as nitroglycerin and amyl nitrate, rapidly induce tolerance and lose their biological activity after more than a single dose. Accordingly, R-107 is poised to become a more effective, less expensive, and more easily administered form of nitric oxide that could potentially transform this agent into a frontline therapy against COVID-19 and other viral infections.