August 15, 2006

Czech scientists discover compound to fight bird flu

Czech scientists have discovered a compound that may become the key ingredient in a new generation of bird- flu drugs, the director of a Prague research institute said Monday (Aug 14). 

Zdenek Havlas, director of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, said one of the compounds they discovered is active against the virus and is also non-toxic.

The compound is the most promising in a batch of hundreds of compounds developed at the institute recently as part of the intensifying global search for bird-flu drugs.

Havlas said the compounds were sent to the institute's research partner, the US pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, for further tests.

Havlas said a 'transport' mechanism is needed and the drug must be chemically modified to get it into target cells and the viruses.

Gilead is now responsible for taking the research to the next level, Havlas said.

Czech scientists already have a good track record for developing anti-viral compounds. Some have been developed into drugs for fighting HIV and Hepatitis C.

Havlas concedes there is still a long way to go from being active to getting the drug, but adds that the compound definitely holds much promise.