New antiviral effective against bird flu

A compound tested in mice has proved safer and more effective against H5N1 bird flu than the popular antiviral Tamiflu, scientists in Wisconsin said.
T-705 even works after several days of infection, said Yoshihiro Kawaoka, a virologist at the University of Wisconsin's School of Veterinary Medicine. 
"H5N1 virus is so pathogenic even Tamiflu doesn't protect all the infected animals," Kawaoka said. "This (antiviral) compound works much better, even three days after infection."
T-705 has been tested successfully against bird flu and H1N1 swine flu in mouse experiments and is being tested on humans in Japan against seasonal flu, Kawaoka said in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Some scientists believe bird flu, which is extremely difficult to treat, could spread worldwide, though so far cases have been isolated to Asia.
T-705 targets the viral molecule polymerase, an enzyme that enables the virus to copy its genetic material. By disabling polymerase, the virus can't create new virus particles needed to maintain the chain of infection, Kawaoka said in a release Tuesday.