Avrio Health L.P. Announces Publication of In Vitro Test Results Assessing Betadine® Formulations Against Four Coronaviruses

Betadine® antiseptic products have not been demonstrated to be effective against infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 or any other viruses in vivo, nor have any clinical studies been conducted to assess its safety or effectiveness as a virucidal agent.

Betadine Topical Antiseptic products currently available in the U.S. are for external use only and should not be gargled or swallowed. Use only as directed on the label. Betadine Sore Throat Gargle (0.5% povidone-iodine antiseptic gargle), which should not be ingested, is used for the temporary relief of sore throat.

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avrio Health L.P. today announced the publication of results from two in vitro laboratory studies assessing Betadine^® antiseptic products (active ingredient: povidone-iodine or “PVP-I”) against four coronaviruses used as a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2. The studies, published in Infectious Diseases and Therapy, found that Betadine Topical Solution, Betadine Surgical Scrub, and Betadine Gargle demonstrated virucidal activity against the coronaviruses studied.

“While further data are needed, publication of these studies helps advance the knowledge of PVP-I’s potential virucidal properties,” said Julie Ducharme, BPharm, MSc, PhD, vice president and chief scientific officer. “Avrio Health is committed to scientific exploration to help inform health care provider response to public health needs.”

This in vitro research evaluated Betadine Topical Solution, Betadine Surgical Scrub, and Betadine Gargle against four coronaviruses used as surrogates to the SARS-CoV-2 virus: Murine Hepatitis Virus Strain A59, a betacoronavirus within the subfamily Coronavirinae-2; as well as human coronavirus strains OC43 (alphacoronavirus), NL63 (alphacoronavirus) and 229E (betacoronavirus) in a second study. These two studies were conducted under ASTM E-1052-11 methods for measuring virucidal time kill to assess the activity of microbicides against viruses.

Betadine Topical Solution (containing 5.0% and 10.0% PVP-I), Betadine Surgical Scrub (containing 7.5% PVP-I), and Betadine Gargle (containing 0.5% PVP-I) were compared to placebo in two separate in vitro studies and showed virucidal activity against four coronaviruses. Betadine Topical Solutions and Gargle showed a 99.99 percent (≥ 4 log) reduction of viral load against one or more strains starting at 15 seconds and at all subsequent time points (30 seconds, 60 seconds and 5 minutes). Results for Betadine Surgical Scrub showed a 99.9 percent (≥ 3 log) reduction across all strains in both studies starting at 15 seconds and at all other time points.¹

“These two studies are part of a research project assessing the safety and effectiveness of Betadine antiseptic products against coronaviruses. While the in vitro nature of the study design prevents clinical interpretation of the findings and further investigations are needed to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 inactivation, this work builds on the current body of knowledge intended to advance the science,” said Craig Landau, MD, president and CEO, Purdue Pharma.

These two studies were funded by Imbrium Therapeutics L.P., in collaboration with Avrio Health.

About Betadine^®

Betadine^® Topical Antiseptic products have been used in the hospital and outpatient setting for their antimicrobial properties for more than 50 years. Betadine^® Topical Antiseptic products currently available in the U.S. are for external use only and should not be gargled or swallowed. Use only as directed on the label. Betadine^® Sore Throat Gargle (0.5% povidone-iodine antiseptic gargle), which should not be ingested, is used for the temporary relief of sore throat.

About Avrio Health L.P.

Avrio Health L.P. is a consumer health products company that champions an improved quality of life for people in the United States through the reimagining of innovative product solutions. We have a strong portfolio of well-respected and proven effective brands, including Betadine^®, Colace^®, Senokot^®, and SlowMag^® Mg.

1. Shet, M., Hong, R., Igo, D. et al. In Vitro Evaluation of the Virucidal Activity of Different Povidone–Iodine Formulations Against Murine and Human Coronaviruses. Infect Dis Ther (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40121-021-00536-1