Local company develops potential COVID prevention products

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Not everyone can or wants to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Some have certain allergies that make them ineligible. or they are opposed to vaccines on a matter of principle.

A local company has developed a product that it believes could fill this gap and save lives.

Waco-based Accelerated Wound Care of America originally developed the compound to treat respiratory and sinus wounds and infections.

When the pandemic broke out the light bulb went on.

“We knew this product was highly effective in controlling and actually killing the virus. From that point my son actually came up with the idea of using this as a COVID-19 prevention product. He went into our library and began accumulating research. Five months later we were filing patents globally.” said company Chairman Gene Gilstrap.

Gilstrap says it took several months to modify the compound into two potentially useful formats, a gargle and a nasal spray.

“We did lab testing that shows the compounds kill the virus for rough eight hours per dose” Gilstrap said.

Gilstrap believes the products will be lifesavers for front line workers or people who live or work around others who have been infected with COVID-19.

“We feel fortunate and proud. We’re very happy this has come out the way it has. We see there’s a real place for it globally it makes us feel that all these years were maybe worthwhile.” Gilstrap said.

Accelerated Wound Care has been working with a legal firm and a consulting firm called Latham Bio Pharm.

Dr. Anthony Alcorn is the managing director and also a clinical virologist.

He says he believes these products have real potential.

“In the lab tests it killed more than 99 percent of the virus in under a minute. You can imagine that that type of activity could be used to help prevent the spread of the virus from people who are already infected.”

Gene Gillstrap works closely with his son Anthony who is the company’s chief operating officer.

Anthony says he proud that a Waco based company could possibly have an impact on the fight against COVID-19.

“We feel this is a great responsibility we’re really looking forward to as quickly as possible getting this product commercialized so we can hopefully help a lot of people and save a lot of lives.” Gilstrap said.

The company is in the process of requesting emergency use clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

If approved they will likely turn over marketing, manufacturing and distribution to a larger corporation that can get the products on the market sooner.

“Undoubtedly there’s a lot of pain and suffering in the world relative to this pandemic and so we think this could be a potential solution that would help.” Anthony Gilstrap said.

The group is also looking down the road as more viral outbreaks are sure to come.

“It’s intriguing and certainly worth exploring not only thinking about COVID, but as we think further down the line about other emerging pathogens that may be effecting the respiratory system.” Alcorn said.

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