Scientists at Cure Lab, Inc., a biotechnology company based in Canton, Massachusetts, in collaboration with researchers at Boston University and Harvard Medical School have discovered a potential new target for the development of anti-influenza (flu) drugs, including those that may be effective against potentially pandemic influenza strains like H5N1.

A leading Australian virologist is calling for a bird flu drug to be made available over the counter, claiming it could have already saved the lives of hundreds of sufferers. Professor Graeme Laver from the Australian National University says Tamiflu is being stockpiled by governments across Australia in case of a bird flu pandemic.