Creators of antimicrobial nanoparticle work on antiviral to combat covid-19

Angeles Cruz Martinez

Newspaper La Jornada
Monday, November 7, 2022, p. 19

Nbelyax is the name of the nanoparticle with the capacity to eliminate around 60 infectious agents: fungi, viruses and bacteria, including those that are resistant to antibiotics. In the form of antiseptics and disinfectants, cleaning is achieved in less than 30 seconds, said Gabriela León, director of Gresmex, a Mexican company recognized by the United Nations Organization as savior of humanity for his help in controlling Ebola in Africa.

In 2014, León, a biochemical engineer who graduated from the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) Iztapalapa, sent almost three tons of her products to Liberia. Now, she affirmed, it is possible to contribute against the wave of bacterial resistance.

In an interview, after participating in the health seminar organized by the Roche pharmaceutical laboratory in Cartagena, Colombia, the specialist disclosed Gresmex’s foray into the development of a drug against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

He commented that phase 2 of the clinical trial with the FNTP molecule is underway and will conclude in almost a month and a half. It is carried out with 120 people and to date it has demonstrated safety and efficacy against variants of the virus.

FNTP is a nanoparticle made with flavonoids and terpenes. These are plant derivatives known as secondary metabolites that block the spike protein of the virus, thereby losing its ability to infect cells.

Preliminary trial results indicate that the substance is 97 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe infections. Once phase 2 is completed and with the final results, it will be submitted for approval by the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris).

The efficacy of the antimicrobial developed by Gresmex has been validated by universities in more than 20 countries. It is useful for the treatment of multiresistant bacterial infections, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella, Escherichia coli Y Helicobacter, Because of which, half of the patients who contract them during their hospitalization lose their lives.