Scientists found the drug was effective in two different strains of mice and three different strains of flu believe the drug could be effective in animals other than mice, including humans. Scientists in Canada developed a new drug that are effective against flu virus.People who die from the flu actually die from respiratory failure, when the lung's tiny blood vessels start leaking fluid into the lung's air sacs. Instead of targeting the virus that causes flu, the new drug can prevent the blood vessels from leaking fluid into the lung's air sacs.
The new drug, Vasculotide, developed by researchers at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto acts on the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. The drug was effective against multiple strains of influenza, including the 2009 swine flu pandemic strain. The drug could be effective in animals other than mice, including humans
Warren Lee, a researcher with St. Michael's Hospital's Keenan Research Center for Biomedical Sciences, who tested the new drug on mice said "While this research was conducted in mice, I found the results exciting since the drug was effective in two different strains of mice and three different strains of flu,". Without the drug, 100% of the mice died within one week. With the drug, more than 80% survived. The drug worked even if it was administered days after the infection began.
The drug worked alone and in combination with antivirals and it worked without compromising the body's ability to mount an immune response to the virus. The study appeared in the journal Scientific Reports.
Subscribe to PharmaTutor News Alerts by Email >>
