NIH GRANTS FIRM $8.5 MILLION TO DEVELOP INFLUENZA DRUGS

The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the NIH, has awarded the first installment of $2.4 million of a total amount of up to $8.5 million to Biota, a drug development company based in Melbourne, Australia. The grant is to develop Flunet, part of a class of influenza antivirals called long-acting neuraminidase inhibitors (LANI).

LANIs offer potency and/or duration of action, which confers particular advantages for the pandemic influenza stockpiling market. All of these compounds appear to offer the potential for a single dose for treatment or once weekly dose for prophylaxis. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Flunet has a higher potency and longer duration of action than the currently marketed influenza antivirals Tamiflu and Relenza.

The funding, over four years (subject to availability of NIH funds and satisfactory progress), will bring Flunet through preclinical development and ready for the commencement of human clinical trials.