As the U.S. grapples with one of the worst flu seasons in nearly a decade, a Japanese drugmaker says it has developed a treatment that would kill the influenza virus within 24 hours — a feat that could reduce the spread of the illness, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Here are eight things to know.
1. The experimental flu treatment was developed by Shionogi & Co., which is based in Japan. Roche AG, based in Switzerland, acquired the international license to distribute Shionogi's experimental drug
2. In a late-stage trial on Japanese and American flu patients with Shionogi's drug, the average time it took to kill the virus was 24 hours. This is quicker than other flu treatments currently on the market. For example, Roche AG's Tamiflu takes about three times longer to achieve the same result. The quick time to kill the virus could reduce its contagiousness.
3. Shionogi's experimental drug also requires a single dose, in comparison to Tamiflu, which requires a five-day course.
4. However, both Shionogi's compound and Tamiflu take the same time to relieve and contain flu symptoms.
5. The experimental drug works by preventing the flu virus from taking over human cellular machinery, according to Shionogi's CEO Isao Teshirogi, PhD.
6. Martin Howell Friede, who heads the World Health Organization's advisory on vaccines, including flu vaccines, told The Wall Street Journal the data from the trials "looks very promising" and said the drug "could be a breakthrough in the way we treat influenza."
7. Japan's drug regulator is fast-tracking the drug's approval. According to the report, it could be available for patients in Japan as early as March 2018.
8. The drugmaker plans to apply for U.S. FDA approval this summer, but does not expect a decision until next year.