COVID-fighting chewing gum in development could reduce virus transmission

Imagine being able to fight COVID simply by chewing gum. A recently published study out of a molecular therapy journal discovers the effects of a gum that could possibly reduce the transmission.

Posted 4:30 p.m. Dec 16, 2021 — Updated 4:49 p.m. Dec 16, 2021

PHILADELPHIA — Imagine being able to fight COVID simply by chewing gum. A recently published study out of a molecular therapy journal discovers the effects of a gum that could possibly reduce transmission of the virus in an inexpensive, convenient way.

The findings were led by a group out of Penn's School of Dental Medicine and scientists at the Perelman School of Medicine, the School of Veterinary Medicine, the Wistar Institute and Fraunhofer USA.

An NBC Philadelphia report describes how researchers are developing the gum.

“SARS-CoV-2 replicates in the salivary glands, and we know that when someone who is infected sneezes, coughs, or speaks some of that virus can be expelled and reach others,” said Henry Daniell, who's helping lead the study. “This gum offers an opportunity to neutralize the virus in the saliva, giving us a simple way to possibly cut down on a source of disease transmission.”

A plant-based protein is key to the theory. The protein could neutralize the virus in saliva by 'trapping' SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Daniell and his colleagues were also working on creating a gum with proteins designed to reduce plaque.

Still in the early stages of development, the team assigned to the project is trying to get permission to conduct a clinical trial to determine if the gum is safe and effective enough to test on patients.

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