U.S. CDC Says Flu Strain Resistant To Tamiflu, Leaving Only Relenza

Executive Summary

U.S. authorities have found one of the two main anti-influenza drugs has become ineffective in treating a common flu strain in the United States, leaving only Australia-developed Relenza (zanamivir) as an effective treatment. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the H5N1 strain circulating across the United States has become resistant to Roche's Tamiflu (oseltamivir). The CDC urged physicians to switch to Relenza, developed by Biota and marketed in the United States by GlaxoSmithKline, or prescribe Tamiflu in combination with ramantadine. (Click here for more)