A single dose of a new influenza drug can significantly shorten the duration of the illness in teens and adults, according to a study. The article reports the results of two multi-centre, double-blind, randomised clinical trials.
Both found that the drug, baloxavir marboxil, shortened the duration of flu symptoms by about one day and more quickly cleared virus compared with placebo in otherwise healthy teens and adults. The larger, phase 3 trial also found that baloxavir’s effect on symptoms was similar to that of a five-day course of oseltamivir but that baloxavir had significantly greater antiviral potency. The studies identified no important side effects. …..more