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To date, influenza treatments have consisted only of oral (oseltamivir) or topical (zanamivir) neuraminidase inhibitor formulations, but an intravenous option is also being investigated —the selective neuraminidase inhibitor peramivir. This sialic acid analogue is characterized by a strong affinity for influenza neuraminidase and a low off rate. Researchers recently reported the results of a manufacturer-sponsored, phase II, randomized controlled trial investigating the effect of a single dose of intravenous peramivir on the course of community-acquired influenza in previously healthy individuals during the 2007–2008 influenza season in Japan.
Within 48 hours after onset of typical influenza symptoms, 99 study participants received a 300-mg …