A new medicine can rid flu suffers of their symptoms in as little as a day, but the drug will be no good to this year’s epidemic because it won’t be available to the United States until 2019.
Scientists in Japan said they have developed an experimental pill that kills the influenza virus in 24 hours, three times faster than what it takes Tamiflu to rid the virus in sick patients.
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It also only requires a single dose, while Tamiflu requires two doses a day, for five days. Both drugs take roughly the same amount of time to completely contain flu symptoms, but researches said the experimental compound provides instant relief to patients.
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[Japanese pharmaceutical company] Shinogai’s CEO Isao Teshirogi said the compound works by blocking the flu from hijacking other cells in the body, thus keeping it from spreading. Takeki Uehara, who led the compound’s development, told the Wall Street Journal it was developed by researchers studying an anti-HIV drug that does the same thing.…
Shinoagi and Roche, the company that makes Tamiflu, said they are in the process of conducting a second-stage of global trials. They will then apply for US approval this summer. It could take up until next year to get a decision, Shinogai said.
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