Nasal spray could prevent infections from any flu strain

What’s Happening

Not gonna lie, An antibody that has the power to neutralise any influenza strain could be widely administered in the form of a nasal spray if a flu pandemic emerges Health Nasal spray could prevent infections from any flu strain An antibody that has the power to neutralise any influenza strain could be widely administered in the form of a nasal spray if a flu pandemic emerges By Alice Klein 4 February 2026 Facebook / Meta Twitter / X icon Linkedin Reddit Email Nasal sprays target flu viruses at their main point of entry into the body Tatiana Maksimova/ An antibody nasal spray has shown promise for protecting against flu in preliminary human trials, after first being validated in mice and monkeys.

It may be useful for combatting future flu pandemics because it seems to neutralise any kind of influenza virus, including ones that spill over from non-human animals. The main tool we have for stopping the spread of flu is the annual vaccine, which stimulates our immune system to make antibodies against just circulating strains of influenza virus. (and honestly, same)

But, because influenza strains are constantly morphing, vaccines are only moderately effective.

The Details

Inside the new therapies promising to finally beat autoimmune disease To address this, pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson developed a special antibody called CR9114 that can neutralise any of these strains. It does this binding to a part of the virus that always stays the same, regardless of how other parts of it are changing.

When CR9114 was initially injected into animals’ bloodstreams, it flopped to provide strong protection against flu. This was because only a small proportion reached the nose, the main point of entry for influenza viruses.

Why This Matters

In 2022, the firm Leyden Labs licensed CR9114 and developed a formulation that could be sprayed up the nose instead. Since then, the company has shown that spraying CR9114 up the noses of mice and macaques stops them from getting sick when they are exposed to various strains of influenza A and B, including one collected from a scientist’s throat during a rough flu season in 1933.

The scientific community tends to find developments like this significant.

The Bottom Line

This story is still developing, and we’ll keep you updated as more info drops.

What do you think about all this?