FLU STOPPER

A NEW COMPOUND IS SET FOR HUMAN TESTING THIS YEAR

Running nose. raging fever. Aching joints. Splitting headache. Are there any poor souls suffering from the flu this winter who haven't longed for a pill to make it all go away? Relief may be in sight. Researchers at Gilead Sciences, a pharmaceutical company in Foster City, California, reported last week in the Journal of the American Chemical Society that they have discovered a compound that can stop the influenza virus from spreading in animals. Tests on humans are set for later this year.

The new compound takes a novel approach to the familiar flu virus. It targets an enzyme, called neuraminidase,...

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