|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Flu News for Senior Citizens
Government Paying $102.6 Million to See if Peramivir
Can Protect Against Bird Flu
HHS says drug has shown effectiveness against a
number of influenza strains
 January 4, 2007 – There may be a new tool in the
war against the bird flu that threatens a world pandemic. At least the
government is betting $102.6 million on it. Health & Human Services
today announced they have awarded the money to Bio Cryst
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., for development of their influenza antiviral
drug, peramivir. The funding will also pay to see if it is an effective
treatment for the H5N1 virus.
| |
Related Stories |
|
| |
As H5N1 Virus Concern Grows, U.S. Buys Additional
Influenza Vaccine
U.S. wants to prepare to protect 20 million from
pandemic
 November
20, 2006 – The U.S. government has taken another step toward building a
stockpile of vaccine to protect 20 million people in the event of an
influenza pandemic. The newest vaccine purchases of 5.3 million doses
supplements the existing stockpile of 5.9 million doses of H5N1 vaccine.
Health & Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced the
department has awarded contracts totaling $199.45 million to three
vaccine makers to the 90-microgram doses.
Read more...
Read more
on
FLU |
|
In laboratory studies to date, peramivir has shown
effectiveness against a number of influenza strains, according to the
announcement by HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt.
Funding provided under the new contract will
support further studies to determine if peramivir can be an effective
treatment for seasonal and life-threatening influenza, including highly
pathogenic H5N1 influenza. Additional research may also examine the
drug's potential use for prophylaxis to protect against influenza
infection, the HHS announcement said.
"Antivirals are an important element of our
pandemic influenza preparedness efforts," Leavitt said. "Our antiviral
strategy includes not only stockpiling existing antiviral drugs but also
seeking out new antiviral medications to further broaden our
capabilities to treat and prevent all forms of influenza."
Peramivir is a member of the neuraminidase
inhibitor class of influenza antiviral drugs. While the other antiviral
drugs in this class are either taken orally (oseltamivir/Tamiflu) or by
an inhaler (zanamivir/Relenza), peramivir is being studied as a drug
that can be administered parenterally, that is through intravenous or
intramuscular injection.
The ability to administer the drug by injection may
be especially useful in hospital settings where it can be given to
persons with life-threatening influenza upon admission to emergency
rooms. Additional advantages to parenteral injection of peramivir
include the potential for high levels of the drug to be achieved rapidly
throughout the body and its ability to be administered to people too ill
to take medications by mouth, according to HHS.
Funding in this contract will support manufacturing
of clinical investigational and consistency lots; Phase 2 and 3 clinical
studies to support product approval in the U.S.; manufacturing process
validation; and other product approval requirements.
The advanced development of peramivir by parenteral
injection has been given "Fast Track" designation by the Food and Drug
Administration, which will expedite the agency's review of BioCryst's
application for approval.
The avian influenza H5N1 virus is widespread in
bird populations in Asia, Africa and Europe, and nearly all human cases
have been caused by direct contact with infected poultry. Although there
have been a few isolated cases of human-to-human transmission, the virus
does not currently transmit easily from human to human. The H5N1 avian
influenza virus has not been found in the United States in either birds
or humans.
The award made to BioCryst is part of a larger HHS
initiative to pursue the development of new therapies and vaccines which
may expand the ability of the United States to respond quickly to a
potential pandemic.
Editor's Notes:
For more information on avian influenza and
pandemic preparedness, please visit
http://www.pandemicflu.gov.
Source:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
•