ENA Respiratory, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company headquartered in Melbourne, has been awarded AUD $2,980,000 from Biointelect Venturer's inaugural funding round. The funding will support an Australian clinical study of INNA-051, the company's investigational nasal spray, in adults with asthma. The award highlights growing government-backed investment in infectious disease research and commercialisation.
Clinical Study Design and Timing
The grant will fund a Phase Ib study designated ENA-A-04, a first-in-patients trial of INNA-051 in Australian adults with asthma. The study will be randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled, evaluating safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics after intranasal administration. ENA Respiratory expects participant dosing to begin in the first quarter of 2027.
How INNA-051 Works
INNA-051 is a virus-agnostic, once-weekly dry powder nasal spray that primes natural antiviral defences in the nose. The nasal cavity is the primary entry point for common respiratory viruses including influenza, RSV, rhinovirus and coronaviruses. By enhancing early immune responses, the therapy aims to lower the incidence of complications in people at higher risk of severe illness.
Asthma and Clinical Rationale
People with asthma often experience an intrinsic delay in innate antiviral responses. This delay can allow viruses to spread to the lower respiratory tract, leading to uncontrolled airway inflammation and worsening clinical symptoms. Chief Executive Officer Christophe Demaison said the funding will allow the company to extend its clinical program into higher-risk groups, including asthma patients who face significant risks from respiratory infections.
Preclinical Evidence
Preclinical and safety pharmacology studies suggest intranasal INNA-051 is not expected to exacerbate asthma. Findings from ex vivo bronchial epithelial cells from donors with moderate-to-severe asthma also indicate a potential reduction in rhinovirus load. These encouraging results support continued development for asthma and other chronic respiratory conditions such as COPD.
Ongoing Phase II Study
ENA Respiratory is already conducting a Phase IIa community study in the United States called POSITS. The trial, registered as NCT07222670, is evaluating once-weekly INNA-051 treatment for up to three months in young adults at risk due to crowded living or working environments. The first stage was successfully completed in May 2026, and Part B is expected to begin dosing during the next North American respiratory virus season.
US Study Scope
The POSITS study is measuring safety, tolerability and efficacy against symptomatic infections caused by common respiratory viruses including influenza, RSV, rhinovirus and coronaviruses. Unlike pathogen-specific treatments, INNA-051 targets host defences rather than a single virus. This approach aligns with the company's ambition to develop a broad-spectrum preventative therapy at a time when respiratory virus threats remain significant.
Biointelect Venturer Support
Biointelect Venturer is Australia's national incubator for vaccine and infectious disease innovation. It is funded by the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund through the 2024 BioMedTech Incubator Grant Opportunity. General Manager Danielle Shand said the inaugural cohort reflects the program's mission to accelerate high-quality infectious disease innovations and address major health priorities.
Broader Funding Context
ENA Respiratory is one of six infectious disease biotechnology companies sharing a total of $10.48 million in the first round. Biointelect Venturer received 48 expressions of interest for this inaugural funding opportunity. The program combines catalytic funding with hands-on commercialisation support to help ventures close the gap between research and market readiness.
With this new funding, ENA Respiratory can broaden its clinical evaluation of INNA-051 into a high-risk asthma population. The upcoming Phase Ib study is expected to inform future development in asthma, COPD and other respiratory conditions. If successful, the program could advance a convenient nasal spray capable of strengthening host defences against multiple respiratory viruses.