NexBio(R) Publishes Two Articles Showing DAS181 (Fludase(R)*) Potently Inhibits Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) and NAI-Resistant Influen...( SAN DIEGO Nov. 6 /- NexBio Inc. in co...),Health

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- NexBio Inc., in collaboration with scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), St. Louis University, and the University of Hong Kong, announced today the publication of two articles in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE. These two published studies suggest that DAS181 (Fludase®) may play a potentially important role for the treatment and prevention of the Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) and drug-resistant influenza.

DAS181 is a broad spectrum drug candidate being studied in human clinical trials for treatment and prevention of Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) caused by any strain of influenza and parainfluenza viruses. Unlike neuraminidase inhibitors (NAI), e.g. Tamiflu® (oseltamivir), as well as vaccines, which target the influenza virus ("pathogen target"), DAS181 works by inactivating the human receptors ("host target") for these viruses; thus, it may be less likely to cause drug resistance compared with currently-available antiviral drugs.

One published paper entitled "Novel Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) Viruses are Potently Inhibited by DAS181, a Sialidase Fusion Protein" evaluated the antiviral activity of DAS181 against multiple Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) viral clinical isolates in a number of preclinical models. DAS181 inhibited all of the pandemic viral strains in each study model. It demonstrates significant antiviral activity against the H1N1 viruses in primary human respiratory cells as well as in fresh human bronchial tissue. In studies performed at the CDC, DAS181 treatment given after infection by a Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) virus completely prevented animal death. It also successfully prevented viral replication and weight loss in these animals.

In the second published paper entitled "Inhibition of Neuraminidase Inhibitor-Resistant Influenza Virus by DAS181, a Novel Sialidase Fusion Protein", the activity of DAS181 against clinical
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