AsianScientist (Feb. 25, 2013) – Researchers have designed a new drug to safeguard against epidemic and pandemic influenza virus strains, which kill approximately 500,000 people each year.
The new drug, which is described in the journal Science, acts via the formation of a stabilized covalent intermediate in the influenza neuraminidase enzyme, due to its structural similarity to the enzyme’s natural substrate.
The candidate drug has shown broad spectrum activity in preventing the spread of different strains of influenza in laboratory models – including resistant strains of the virus. It is hoped the drug will also be effective against future strains of the virus.
The breakthrough is the result of an international collaboration between scientists from CSIRO in Australia, the University of British Columbia in Canada, and the University of Bath in the U.K.
In order to infect cells, flu viruses bind onto sugars on the cell surface. To be able to spread they need to remove these sugars. The new drug works by preventing the virus from removing sugars and blocking the virus from infecting more cells.
CSIRO scientist Dr. Jenny McKimm-Breschkin, a researcher in the team that developed the first flu drug Relenza, said that understanding exactly how flu viruses become resistant to drugs has helped them to design a better flu drug.
“CSIRO researchers have shown that flu viruses continually mutate and some have become resistant to available treatments,” McKimm-Breschkin said. “The new drug is effective against these resistant strains. As the site where the drug binds is found in all flu strains, the new drug is expected to be effective even against future flu strains.”
Professor Steve Withers of UBC has led the research team for the past seven years and said that although further studies are required to determine efficacy against a broader range of flu strains, the findings are extremely positive.
The new antiviral drug would play an important role as the first line of defense in controlling a pandemic while vaccines are prepared, he said. The researchers estimate it will take up to seven years before the drug is released.
The article can be found at: Kim J-H et al. (2013) Mechanism-Based Covalent Neuraminidase Inhibitors with Broad Spectrum Influenza Antiviral Activity.
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Source: CSIRO; Photo: CSIRO and Magipics.
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