BioCryst sponsors a symposium at ICAAC

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (BCRX) sponsored a symposium at the ICAAC conference last night on emerging therapies for novel strains of the flu:

http://www.icaac.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&Itemid=54

Intravenous Peramivir, BCRX's anti-viral against the flu, made news headlines as well:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=8562221

Now that President Obama and Congress have made appropriations for funding of vaccines and anti-virals to combat the pandemic flu, it is now in HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebellius' court to sign off on an order for the strategic national stockpile. The FDA will also have to issue an Emergency Use Authorization since Peramivir is not an approved treatment.

Currently, medical practitioners can order Peramivir for individual hospitalized patients through an emergency use investigational new drug (EIND) process. But an EUA needs to be issued so millions with complicated and severe cases can gain access to Peramivir. Peramivir saves lives--especially with novel strains becoming resistant to Tamiflu (Oseltamivir).