If this is not your name, click here.
| | If this is not your name, click here. | | |
| | Contact Us | Order Now | Journals | Bookstore | Register a colleague | | |
| |  ICAR: Clinical Efficacy Of Relenza (Zanamivir) Shown In People With Asthma And COPD By Claire Sowerbutt Special to DG News
SEATTLE, WA -- April 12, 2001 -- Data presented yesterday at the 14th International Conference on Antiviral Research found no evidence for Relenza™ (zanamivir) resistance in people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Zanamivir is a novel neuraminidase inhibitor designed for treatment of influenza A and B viruses. People with asthma or COPD can experience prolonged and severe incidences of influenza, which could, in turn, provide greater opportunity for the emergence of zanamivir-resistant mutant virus and increased risk of complications. The study was a virologic sub-study of a randomized, double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial (NAI30008) and was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of zanamivir in people with asthma and COPD. During the sub-study, researchers analyzed 256 throat swabs taken on days 1 (baseline), 2, 3, and 6 from both zanamivir and placebo treated patients. Two of the 131 day 6 samples tested were culture positive. Although only one of these had a titre high enough for the NA assay, the other isolate was identified as positive by PCR. A sequence analysis of the full NA gene and HA1 portion of the haemagglutinin gene was performed, however no evidence of mutations that might give rise to reduced susceptibility to zanamivir were found. These findings are consistent with earlier treatment and prophylaxis studies. To date, no isolates have been found that are resistant to zanamivir in clinical trials. In fact, present studies indicate that there is a reduced potential for emergence of influenza A virus with reduced susceptibility to zanamivir. Nevertheless, monitoring for zanamivir mutant resistant virus is being conscientiously pursued.
|
