Scientists are working on a new kind of flu drug, it has been revealed.
Researchers from Britain, Australia and Canada have been working together on the project.
The new drug targets the same enzyme as existing drugs – an enzyme called neuraminidase, which helps the virus to spread.
They say the new drug will be better as it can permanently stop the virus from spreading, even if the virus seeks to evolve to beat the drug.
Existing drugs "digest" a substance called sialic acid from healthy cells to prevent neuraminidase from attaching itself and digesting the acid. The new drug will "clog up" the enzyme instead, the researchers say.
The research has been reported in Science and involves a study of laboratory mice.
Researcher Dr Andrew Watts, of Bath University, UK, said: “Antivirals have been very effective in stopping the spread of flu in the pandemics over the last few years; however new strains of the virus that are resistant to these drugs are emerging and represent a serious threat to our ability to effectively treat the disease.
"This new class of drug is based on the natural mechanism of the enzyme and so the virus can’t easily evolve to avoid its action.”
Professor Doreen Cantrell, of the UK Medical Research Council, said: "This study in mice opens up the possibility of new types of drugs that could stop emerging flu viruses in their tracks.
"If these results are replicated in clinical trials and are shown to halt infection in flu patients, we will have turned a corner in the search for new antivirals that tackle the problem of resistance."
Science 25 February 2013
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