Gilead's Oral Flu Drug Nears Trials

Gilead Sciences' oral neuraminidase inhibitor GS 4104 should enter theclinic in the next few months, said the company at a news conference. Scientists from the company reported that the drug looks suitable for once- or twice-daily administration, and could be used either after exposure or when symptoms start.

Gilead has filed an Investigational New Drug application to begin trials in the USA. The company has signed a $50 million licensing agreement with Hoffmann-La Roche for the development and commercialization of the product.

There was a great deal of interest at last year's Intersciences Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (Marketletter September 30, 1996), when Gilead first unveiled this orally-active compound, as it was the first compound in this class to follow Glaxo Wellcome's intranasal/inhaled neuraminidase inhibitor, zanamavir (formerly GR121167 or GG167), which is in Phase II testing.