MOMENTUM SURGES IN QUEST FOR ANTIVIRALS

Top scientists at U.S. federal health institutes, universities and drug companies report that they are witnessing a surge of interest in finding treatments for viral infections -- fueled in part by fears of a global flu epidemic. Once, viral disease researchers rarely heard from drug development companies. Now, scientists say, they regularly get calls from companies hoping to forge partnerships in the quest to discover antiviral medicines.

International Herald Tribune (http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/08/news/snanti.php)