A Flu Drug May be Poised to Upend Treatment in U.S.

Scientific American --------- Next winter, there may be a new drug for people who contract influenza—one that appears to be able to shut down infection quickly and, unlike anything else on the market, can be taken as a single dose. The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday said that it would give the drug, baloxavir marboxil, a priority review, and approval has the potential to upend the way influenza is treated. Baloxavir marboxil has already been licensed in Japan, where it is sold by Shionogi & Co. under the brand name Xofluza. Roche bought most of the global rights to the drugs—Shionogi retains the rights in Japan and Taiwan—and Genentech, a Roche company, is developing the drug for the U.S. market. To learn more click on the picture below to read the article.