China's anti-bird flu drug to enter the clinical research stage

Source: Science Times publisher: Liu Bin Category: News Scan Date: 2009-02-02

Various types of spring are generally the peak period of the spread of infectious diseases, the current bird flu epidemic in China has increased the region, avian flu prevention and control at all levels of government have been put on the agenda. Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences for avian influenza to humans is a huge threat to national strategies for demand-oriented socio-economic development needs, third-party research, and rapid completion of the anti-bird flu drugs - zanamivir agents, such as the synthesis and study work, a breakthrough has been made and significant results. A few days ago, the pharmaceutical companies with a joint declaration of the Nanjing Anti-bird flu drug, "zanamivir" has been the assessment of new drugs through the National Center for pre-clinical evaluation, approval to enter the clinical research stage.

Experts, zanamivir is an effective inhibitor of influenza virus sialidase, by inhibiting influenza virus neuraminidase, thus changing the influenza virus in infected cells aggregation and release, for the treatment due to alpha (A ) influenza caused by influenza viruses. Globally, zanamivir is in addition to a second outside Tamiflu effective against bird flu drugs, the drug has also won the State Food and Drug Administration approval.

In 2005, after an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, Shanghai drugs immediately implement the "anti-bird flu drug research to develop an emergency plan", to concentrate human, material and strength advantages of various disciplines, the establishment of a scientific research group. 抗禽流感药物的快速研制项目得到了国家发改委的支持，获得国家科技支撑计划资助，由上海药物所副所长蒋华良博士和沈竞康研究员任组长，下设生物信息和药物设计组, Synthesis and Technology Group, anti-bird flu virus drug screening, quality control and formulation development of 5 group, in close collaboration of various disciplines, to conduct joint research.

In order to have independent intellectual property rights as soon as possible anti-bird flu drug, Shanghai launched drugs zanamivir and Me too generic drugs (drugs mimic) the research and development, and completed in the near future zanamivir Synthesis of. Shanghai and Nanjing, the precursor drug TECO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing party companies to work together, well done zanamivir raw materials and preparation of pre-clinical study of the technical work submitted for approval.

Experts highly praised: "This fully demonstrates the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica research team for the national strategic needs, a critical moment to pull out, the scientific research strength, winning the war."