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Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/c...021/story.html
New compound raises hope in fight against deadly flu strains
By Amy O'Brian, Vancouver SunMay 14, 2009
Long before the swine flu emerged as a public health threat, a B.C.-based scientist was working toward an antiviral weapon to combat both swine and avian flu.
Steven Jones, associate director of the Genome Sciences Centre and a professor at both Simon Fraser University and the University of B.C., began working two years ago with a team of researchers to identify molecular compounds that could destroy the deadly strains of influenza.
After examining hundreds of thousands of molecular compounds, Jones and two teams of researchers here and in Hong Kong identified a single molecular compound that could, eventually, be developed into an antiviral drug that would serve as an alternative to Tamiflu and Relenza. Tamiflu has been effective in treating the flu viruses, but resistance to the drug is developing.
"Essentially, we need more arrows in our quiver," Jones said Tuesday in a phone interview.
"We need to learn more about the things that will stop these viruses from replicating."
Using 200 computers that worked non-stop for a week processing hundreds of thousands pieces of data, Jones and his team at the B.C. Cancer Agency's Genome Sciences Centre came up with 20 molecular compounds that could theoretically interfere with the protein structures of the influenza virus.
Those compounds were sent to a team of researchers at the University of Hong Kong's Cytokine Biology Group, where further testing showed only one of the 20 was potentially effective.
"One of them worked. One of them did actually stop the replication of the virus," Jones said.
The discovery needs far more development before it becomes an applicable antiviral drug, including testing on animals and humans.
"There are lots of hurdles that this molecule would have to pass before becoming a drug," Jones said.
"It would be a long process . . . in the realm of five years or more. It's not going to be a drug tomorrow."
But Jones noted that scientists in B.C. and around the world are working constantly to find weapons against influenza viruses.
"The bottom line is that there is activity and these things are happening," he said.
"We need to be working on these things all the time, not just when there is an outbreak."
aobrian@vancouversun.com
New compound raises hope in fight against deadly flu strains
By Amy O'Brian, Vancouver SunMay 14, 2009
Long before the swine flu emerged as a public health threat, a B.C.-based scientist was working toward an antiviral weapon to combat both swine and avian flu.
Steven Jones, associate director of the Genome Sciences Centre and a professor at both Simon Fraser University and the University of B.C., began working two years ago with a team of researchers to identify molecular compounds that could destroy the deadly strains of influenza.
After examining hundreds of thousands of molecular compounds, Jones and two teams of researchers here and in Hong Kong identified a single molecular compound that could, eventually, be developed into an antiviral drug that would serve as an alternative to Tamiflu and Relenza. Tamiflu has been effective in treating the flu viruses, but resistance to the drug is developing.
"Essentially, we need more arrows in our quiver," Jones said Tuesday in a phone interview.
"We need to learn more about the things that will stop these viruses from replicating."
Using 200 computers that worked non-stop for a week processing hundreds of thousands pieces of data, Jones and his team at the B.C. Cancer Agency's Genome Sciences Centre came up with 20 molecular compounds that could theoretically interfere with the protein structures of the influenza virus.
Those compounds were sent to a team of researchers at the University of Hong Kong's Cytokine Biology Group, where further testing showed only one of the 20 was potentially effective.
"One of them worked. One of them did actually stop the replication of the virus," Jones said.
The discovery needs far more development before it becomes an applicable antiviral drug, including testing on animals and humans.
"There are lots of hurdles that this molecule would have to pass before becoming a drug," Jones said.
"It would be a long process . . . in the realm of five years or more. It's not going to be a drug tomorrow."
But Jones noted that scientists in B.C. and around the world are working constantly to find weapons against influenza viruses.
"The bottom line is that there is activity and these things are happening," he said.
"We need to be working on these things all the time, not just when there is an outbreak."
aobrian@vancouversun.com
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