Baloxavir has been linked by researchers to greater reductions in viral load one day after starting treatment than placebo or oseltamivir, another antiviral drug commonly used against influenza.
A new antivirus, called baloxavir, would be effective against the flu, according to a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In a single dose, it nevertheless causes the formation of specific virus strains and does not replace vaccination.
We are talking here about influenza A and B. These are the main types that regularly spread among humans and cause seasonal flu epidemics. Type C viruses only cause mild respiratory infections and are not responsible forepidemics.
Symptom relief time
The researchers conducted two randomized, double-blind, controlled trials involving patients who were generally healthy but had “uncomplicated acute influenza”. In the second, they undertook a controlled trial placebo and by oseltamivir* single doses of baloxavir (40 or 80 mg depending on weight), in patients aged 12 to 64 years. The dose of oseltamivir was 75 mg twice daily for 5 days. The primary endpoint was time to improvement of flu symptoms. The reactions of 1,064 patients were analyzed.
Result: the median time to symptom improvement was 53.7 hours with baloxavir, compared to 80.2 hours with placebo. On the other hand, the action time was similar for baloxavir and oseltamivir. Nevertheless, Baloxavir was associated with greater reductions in viral load one day after starting treatment than placebo or oseltamivir.
The seasonal epidemic affects 2 to 8 million people each winter
In addition, adverse effects were reported in 20.7% of baloxavir recipients, 24.6% of placebo recipients and 24.8% of oseltamivir recipients. Reduced susceptibility to baloxavir occurred in 2.2% and 9.7% of baloxavir recipients.
“Single-dose baloxavir had no obvious safety issues, was superior to placebo in relieving flu symptoms, and was superior to oseltamivir and placebo in reducing viral load a day after the start of the trial in patients with uncomplicated influenza”, conclude the researchers. “There was also evidence of decreased susceptibility to baloxavir after treatment,” they caution.
Influenza is a very common viral disease. Often benign, it can however lead to serious complications, even a death, in the elderly or frail. The seasonal epidemic affects 2 to 8 million people each winter.
*Oseltamivir (Belgium and Switzerland) or oseltamivir (France) is an antiviral drug, delivered orally, used for the treatment and prevention of influenza A and B. It is distributed under the Tamiflu brand.
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