Preparing for the next pandemic: Scientists discover a new class of influenza antivirals

Researchers from Leiden University, University of York, University of Barcelona/IQTCUB/ICREA and The Francis Crick Institute report a new class of experimental compounds that powerfully block influenza viruses. The findings offer a potential new strategy for treating flu infections and preparing for future pandemics. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, describes a family of molecules known as "sugar aziridines." These compounds are inspired by the widely used flu drug Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), but are designed to act in a fundamentally different way.