SEPTEMBER 8, 2026 – Staff at Naval Medical Research Command (NMRC) are currently recruiting volunteers for a phase 2a study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of INNA-051 a treatment for respiratory tract Illness.
INNA-051, a self-administered nasal spray, was previously determined by the NMRC Clinical Trials Center (CTC) to be safe for human use, and assessment which the FDA formally reviewed and confirmed in June.
Respiratory illness presents an ongoing threat to the health of U.S. service members, which in turn presents a risk to the readiness of the nation’s fighting forces. Effective prevention of these illnesses is especially important in the undersea and shipboard environments, where Sailors and Marines live in close quarters, and respiratory infections can spread easily and rapidly.
“Acute respiratory infections remain a common illness in active-duty service members, creating a frequent challenge to maintaining unit readiness,” Capt. Tyler Warkentien. “This study is evaluating a product that may either prevent illness, or shorten the duration of infection, from several common respiratory viruses. If effective, this could be an important tool to improve the health and readiness for our warfighters.”
This trial phase will test INNA-051 in a randomized double blind, placebo-controlled trial, where neither the researchers nor participants know who is receiving the treatment, versus a placebo. This method allows researchers to more accurately evaluate if a treatment is performing as expected.
The study is open to healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 45. Participants will complete in-person and telehealth visits, involving a minimum of three blood draws and the weekly self-administration of a nasal spray at home for 12 weeks.
“Since this study is designed to determine if this product provides protection from respiratory viruses, the enrollment criteria includes those at most risk for viral exposure,” said Warkentien, “such as being around young children or living in a congregate setting.”
Participants will be compensated for their time. Active-duty personnel must complete a supervisor’s approval form as part of the study.
NMRC’s Clinical Trial Center, located at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, is the Navy’s only dedicated human clinical trials center, evaluating vaccines, therapeutics, prophylactics in human subjects to advance products from the laboratory to the front line and maximize the medical readiness of the warfighter. The CTC is overseen by Navy personnel, and conducts research on behalf of U.S. Sailors.
NMRC CTC is located at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Building 17B (2nd floor). If you would like to participate in a trial, or have any questions, please contact the center at 301-295-4735 (call) or 301-233-9640 (text), or via e-mail at usn.nmrc.ctc@health.mil to see your eligibility.
NMRC, headquarters of Navy Medicine Research & Development, is engaged in a broad spectrum of activity from basic science in the laboratory to field studies in austere and remote areas of the world to investigations in operational environments. In support of Navy, Marine Corps and joint U.S. warfighter health, readiness and lethality, researchers study infectious diseases, biological warfare detection and defense, combat casualty care, environmental health concerns, aerospace and undersea medicine, operational mission support and epidemiology.
Navy Medicine’s 44,000+ talented and ready forces optimize health readiness, deliver quality healthcare and provide global expeditionary medical support to warfighters.
Story by Sidney Hinds
Naval Medical Research Command