Flu virus discovery may bring all-purpose vaccine

[TechBear_Seattle]

Flu virus discovery may bring all-purpose vaccine

In a discovery that could radically change how the world fights influenza, researchers have engineered antibodies that protect against many strains, including the 1918 Spanish flu and the H5N1 bird flu.

The discovery, experts said, could lead to the development of a flu vaccine that would not have to be changed yearly. And the antibodies already developed can be injected as a treatment, going after the virus in ways that drugs like Tamiflu do not. Clinical trials to prove that the antibodies are safe in humans could begin within three years, a researcher estimated.

"This is a really good study," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who was not part of the study. "It's not yet at the point of practicality, but the concept is really quite interesting."

The article continues at http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/401091_flu23.html

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[rurallib]

2. In a related story, viruses step up mutation rate.

[loudsue]

3. And in another study, big pharma will be glad to kill this research.

They profit more when there are new vaccines every year.

[semillama]

4. Threefer Madness, in under the wire! n/t

[TZ]

6. FYI

My parent Pharma company is actually helping in this research. Take your tinfoil hattery elsewhere.
Its actually WAAAY more expensive to manufacture new vaccines every year.

[marksmithfield]

5. That would be an amazing advancement

If it works out