Another notable milestone in curbing influenza has been achieved. A team of researchers from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) was able to discover a new approach in manipulating more virulent and resistant strains of the flu virus.
Assisted by the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), the research was conducted through intricate simulations on the newly launched SDSC Trestles system. With this, Rommie Amaro and Robin Bush from UCI and Rose Walker from SDSC invented a way to predict how viral replication occurs by observing the pocket structures that lie along the influenza proteins’ surfaces. This can aid in pharmacological advancements that can treat influenza infection effectively.
Amaro further explained that the by taking advantage of this remarkable discovery, the study is very influential in the making of new medications. In truth, the long search for the best effective flu drug is still ongoing, because of the virulence of the influenza virus. Essentially, anti-influenza medications work by inhibiting the action of neuraminidase, an enzyme that plays a key part in viral replication. However, the influenza virus is quite capable of mutating itself, so various strains have been discovered over the years. One flu drug is hence not very effective, and so the use of broad-spectrum medications has been employed even if they are only partially effective. Palliative care for patients diagnosed with influenza is effective in relieving the symptoms.
The research is crucial to help develop potent drugs that manipulate the pocket structures of flu proteins. The results of the study were published in Nature Communications.
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