Patent ID: 7858660

Claim:
A method of treating a patient comprising administering a combination of antiviral agents to said patient, wherein said patient has an influenza A virus infection, is suspected of being infected with influenza A, has a symptom associated with an influenza A virus infection, or is at risk of exposure to an influenza A virus, wherein the combination comprises: (a) an M2 inhibitor selected from the group consisting of amantadine and rimantadine in an amount that is antivirally effective in the combination; (b) ribavirin in an amount that is antivirally effective in the combination; and (c) a neuraminidase inhibitor (NAi) in an amount that is antivirally effective in the combination, wherein the M2 inhibitor and ribavirin are administered to the patient in amounts that achieve drug concentrations that increase sensitivity of an influenza A virus to the NAi by at least 2-fold over sensitivity of the virus to the NAi when used as monotherapy, as measured in an in vitro dose response assay using influenza A-infected MDCK cells.