Neuraminidase inhibitors block this enzyme and as a result, newly produced viruses stick to the cell surface and each other. They are not able to escape and infect new cells thus virus multiplication is inhibited. The neuraminidase active site is the same in all common strains of influenza. GS 4104, a neuraminidase inhibitor, is therefore expected to be effective against all common types of influenza. Oral GS4104 is easy to administer and delivers active drug substance to the various sites of influenza infection in the body.
Influenza is a disease characterized by respiratory and severe systemic symptoms.
Patients will experience chills, fever, body aches and other severe systemic symptoms, including lethargy. This generates as many as 50 million physician visits and hundreds of thousands hospitalizations. Secondary complications such as bronchitis and sinusitis require substantial medical utilization. Severe complications like pneumonia causes tens of thousands of deaths, particularly in the elderly. And not only millions of people become debilitated, it is more than likely that many of them will have to take time off work.