Posted on 08/15/2009 7:57:22 PM PDT by neverdem
Australian pharmaceutical firm, Biota, has said that Phase III trials of its new influenza drug laninamivir (CS-8958) have shown that a single inhaled dose of the drug was as effective as 10 doses of Roches Tamiflu administered orally over a 5 day period. The drug is a second generation neuraminidase inhibitor and is based on zanamivir, the active ingredient in Relenza, which Biota sold to GlaxoSmithKline.
The study was conducted by Japanese pharma firm Daiichi Sankyo, which co-owns the drug, and included 1000 patients that had confirmed, naturally acquired influenza A or B. Preclinical studies have shown laninamivir to be effective against influenza A & B virus as well as the H5N1 avian flu, while a recent study published in Nature indicated it was also active against H1N1 swine flu.
AZ turns to Forest for antibacterials
AstraZeneca and Forest Laboratories are teaming up to co-develop and commercialise Forests next generation cephalosporin antiinfective, ceftaroline. According to the firms, the drug demonstrates bactericidal activity against a range of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multi-drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (MDRSP).
BP joins the algal biofuel race
BP has signed a joint development agreement with US algal oil company Martek to work on the production of biofuels. BP has said it will contribute up to $10 million in the initial phase of the collaboration, which will see Martek develop optimised strains of algae.
Martek is pleased to partner with BPs Alternative Energy team, to combine our unique algae-based technologies and intellectual property for the creation of sustainable and affordable technology for microbial biofuel production, said Steve Dubin, chief executive of Martek.
The move follows ExxonMobils recent collaboration with Synthetic Genomics and Shells collaboration with HR Biopetroleum...
(Excerpt) Read more at prospect.rsc.org ...
micro ping
That’s like saying that “6 tablets of Zithromax is as effective as 40 tablets of Erythromycin”. (not sure if it actually is, but this new one obviously has a much longer half life, hence a single dose course being as effective as a full course of Tamiflu)
I’ll wait until I see the adverse reactions, thanks. In the meantime, mega vitamin c, vitamin D vitamin a, and garlic.
Ping... (Thanks again, neverdem!)
Thanks for posting—my son’s chemE, so he will find this blog really interesting.
Oh, me! To further our anxieties, have you seen the FDIC list of Failed Banks? Argentina's banks have closed because of the Swine Flu. See this: August 14, 2009 FDIC List of Failed Banks
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