Antiviral Agents to Influenza Virus 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Of all the major pandemics in human history including pox, coronaviruses, arboviruses, and other respiratory viruses, influenza is the most frequent re-occurring pathogen. In the post-COVID era, researchers are highly concerned with the re-emergence of influenza virus that keeps reassorting and jumping between human, avian and other mammals. Although different generations of anti-influenza drugs are approved to treat influenza infections, including adamantanes, neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs), nucleoside analogues, and endonuclease inhibitors, drug resistance has emerged and spread rapidly. The US FDA is not recommending the use of adamantanes to treat seasonal influenza due to the wide spread of adamantane-resistant mutants. Resistance mutations of NAIs, such as R292K and E119V, are increasingly common in recent outbreaks. The baloxavir resistance mutation I38T is also found in H3N2 strains, which was surprising, since baloxavir is considered as one of the next-generation anti-influenza drugs. In view of the rapid emergence of drug-resistant strains against the current first-line or even next-generation influenza drugs, it is of high importance to accelerate drug innovations and novel strategies to combat influenza virus drug resistance.

Prof. Dr. Wu Zhong
Dr. Manli Wang
Guest Editors

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