Second team finds natural super flu fighter...

[SidDithers]

WASHINGTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - An antibody being developed by a Dutch drug company chokes off both seasonal flu and the H5N1 avian flu virus and might offer a way to develop better treatments and vaccines, researchers reported on Thursday.

Crucell NV's (CRCL.AS) antibody, a naturally occurring immune system protein, grabs onto a hidden part of flu viruses, stopping them from infecting cells, they reported in the journal Science.

It is the second report in a week to find antibodies that can interfere with a range of strains of flu -- one of the hardest viruses to fight because it mutates so much.

"This is very exciting because it marks the first step toward the Holy Grail of influenza vaccinology -- the development of a durable and cross-protective universal influenza virus vaccine," Ian Wilson, a researcher at he Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, who helped lead the research, said in a statement.

More at link: http://uk.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUKN2641112820090226

Sid

[LeftishBrit]

1. Hoping this really turns out to work!

[SidDithers]

2. Multiple teams getting the same result is very promising...

and it's an interesting story to keep an eye on :hi:

Sid