Recent advances in the discovery and development of anti-influenza drugs

Influenza is a regularly recurring infectious disease associated with significant medical and economic impact across the world. Influenza virus spreads from person to person via the aerosol route, which is generally highly efficient and difficult to control. Genetic variability related to error-prone RNA replication and the unique ability of individual gene reassortment leads to constant and unpredictable changes in antigenic profiles. Recent outbreaks of avian influenza in Asia, Europe and North America have shown that transmission of highly pathogenic influenza viruses to humans is a realistic threat to human health. New antiviral medicines have broad cross-strain efficacy and allow rapid treatment of infected persons independent of vaccine effectiveness. Since the recent approval of the first neuraminidase inhibitors zanamivir (Relenza(R) Biota/GlaxoSmithKiine) and oseltamivir (Tamiflu(R), Gilead/Roche) for the treatment of influenza Type A and B infection, and oseltamivir for chemoprophylaxis, further drug discovery efforts have concentrated on the development of either more potent or longer-lasting neuraminidase inhibitors, as well as new compounds with different mechanisms of antiviral action.