One-on-One

In the Xlear

How Xlear’s nasal spray can play a lasting role against COVID-19

Nathan Jones, CEO of Xlear, said that he feels that his company is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic in better shape and is prepared to help retailers in the post-COVID era. He talked with Drug Store News about the challenges ahead.

Drug Store News: How has Xlear fared during the pandemic? Nathan Jones: Xlear as a company has fared fairly well. It is a respiratory pandemic and, within a month of it starting, we had physicians around the world tell people that using nasal sprays like ours, nasal sprays that contain antiviral agents, would be of benefit to them. There were physicians from California, Europe, New Zealand and Florida all talking in the media and mentioning Xlear by name. As soon as we could, we shipped off some product to have it tested against this new virus in a lab and found out that within minutes of exposure, the virus was destroyed.

It took us a few months to get all of these studies written up and published in the medical literature. Now that the research is in the public domain, we have to start the process of getting the politicians and the bureaucrats who actually make healthcare policy to read and understand the science.

DSN: How are your retail partners doing with the category and your brand? NJ: The first few months after it started last year, we had a back order situation, but since then, we have been able to keep up with production and to grow our business. Government regulation from the FTC has really slowed us from being able to share science and info here in the United States, so most of our sales growth has been from overseas where we are able to share the science of how nasal sprays work. It really is a simple concept: 90% of the viral load

Nathan Jones, CEO, Xlear

“With all the research supporting Xlear, we have applied for an ‘emergency use authorization’ with the FDA. We have five in vitro studies showing how our nasal spray affects the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

is located in the nose and upper airway, and anything we can do to reduce that viral load is going to slow the spread and reduce symptoms.

DSN: What do you suggest retailers do to maximize sales and profits? NJ: Share research with your customers. We all are happy that the vaccines have been developed in record time. However, if we continue to stay myopically focused only on them, we are going to fail. We already know that we will never reach herd immunity by the vaccines — there are too many people that either can’t get one or that just don’t want to. Rather than shaming them in the media and calling them “anti-science,” why don’t we just look at other options that can help? That is where nasal sprays could play a role. A multilayered defensive strategy is always the most successful, including washing your hands, washing your nose, wearing an N95 mask and keeping our distance from others when we need to.

DSN: What is in the pipeline? NJ: With all of the research supporting Xlear, we have applied for an “emergency use authorization” with the FDA. We have five in vitro studies showing how our nasal spray affects the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we have a good understanding of the method of action of how the xylitol blocks adhesion, we have small in-human trials of COVD-19 patients showing great results and we have two larger trials underway right now.

We also continue to roll out our OTC drugs that combine the decongestants, nasal steroids and antihistamines with the hydrating and cleansing properties of xylitol.

Other than that, what we have in the pipeline is a toothpaste that we just started selling that improves the strength of the enamel by upwards of 40%.

The original research behind xylitol is how it actually works to prevent tooth decay by changing the microbiome of the mouth to bacteria that just don’t create acid. Fluoride is great for helping to make the teeth strong, but it does nothing to the bacteria that are creating the acid — the real culprit. dsn

The Importance of Puppy and Kitten

How Winning at the Start Can Unlock a Growing Sales Opportunity

A conversation with Joe Toscano, Vice President, Trade & Industry Development at Purina

Bringing home a kitten or puppy is an exciting time. With roughly 3 out of 5 dog and cat acquisitions being puppies and kittens, puppy and kitten formulas hold great potential for growth. In fact, for the year ending March 2021, puppy and kitten food sales are up 10 percent versus the previous year.

Drug Store News: What should these new pet parents know about feeding their new little family members? Joe Toscano: Puppies and kittens will put almost anything in their mouths, but it doesn’t mean they should. Like their human counterparts, young dogs and cats have specific nutrition requirements to support their rapid growth and development. Puppies and kittens’ bodies are fast-growing, but unlike babies, they pack all their growth into a few short years. Puppies and kittens need higher level of calories and protein, DHA, antioxidants and bioactive substances for the first one to two years.

DSN: Why is it important for retailers to understand the role pet food specially formulated for puppies and kittens plays in the overall pet category? JT: The first purchase with puppy and kitten is a lucrative one as it typically includes leashes, bowls and toys, but the interesting thing is that consumers tend to stay with the store for future pet purchases. If retailers can win with puppy and kitten, they can expect to see an increase in channel loyalty and additional sales in areas outside of pet as consumers seek additional cleaning items and to replace broken items. DSN: How can these retailers merchandise and market products for puppies and kittens in ways that will boost sales and increase loyalty throughout the pet’s life? JT: There are multiple ways to capitalize on the power of puppy and kitten. • At Shelf. Shelve kitten and puppy formulates with their parent brand and ensure an optimal assortment of SKUs. • Timing. New adoptions happen yearround, but there is a spike for puppies and kittens through the summer months, typically May – August, and another spike in puppy adoptions in December. Retailers can capitalize on the timely bump with promotions and displays that let your consumers know you are in the pet business. • Educate. According to a 2017 Nielsen Homescan survey, households that acquire a puppy typically transition from to puppy food to an adult formula 5-6 months after acquisition, which is too early. Utilize signage to educate on the benefits of feeding puppy and kitten for the first one to two years before transitioning to adult formulas. • Cross-promotion. Puppy and kitten owners won’t just need food for their new little ones. Keep those customers in your store by cross-promoting the other cat and dog supplies you have including beds, toys and bowls.

DSN: What is Purina doing to support these new pet owners? JT: Purina has a Puppy and Kitten Event running from now through the end of September to educate consumers that feeding Purina puppy and kitten food is necessary to build the foundation for a healthy life. Most puppy owners believe puppies have unique needs (92 percent) but only 25 percent feed puppy food exclusively. Like their puppy counterparts, most kitten owners (91 percent) believe the food they feed their kitten will impact their health throughout their life, but less than half (41 percent) of owners rank feeding kitten food for a full year as having lasting effects by establishing the foundation for a future of good health. Puppy and kitten owners don’t realize how important it is to feed puppy and kitten food to their pets. The Purina puppy and kitten program launched in March with a national, two-page spread FSI, featuring Puppy and Kitten product coupons. National media, including print ads, social and digital displays, will continue through the end of September, as well as targeted Catalina coupons, in-app rebates and other assets to support the event. dsn