FDA Approves New Flu Treatment

The FDA today approved peramivir injection (Rapivab), an IV neuraminidase inhibitor intended to treat acute uncomplicated influenza in patients 18 or older who have been symptomatic for no more than 2 days.

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals Inc’s product was tested in more than 27 clinical trials involving 2700 patients, and with launches in Japan and Korea, the flu treatment has been administered to more than 1 million people. The drug was shown to alleviate flu symptoms and reduce fever significantly faster than placebo, according to the manufacturer’s press release.

The recommended dosage is 600 mg administered via IV for 15 to 30 minutes.

“Rapivab is the first neuraminidase inhibitor that has shown to be safe and effective as a single-dose, IV therapy for patients with acute, uncomplicated influenza, and represents the first new antiviral treatment for influenza approved by the FDA in 15 years,” said Richard Whitley, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham, in a press release.

Some patients have reported serious skin reactions with Rapivab such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and erythema multiforme in rare cases.