The Story of Influenza Antivirals: Part 2

The Emergence of Tamiflu

The first Neuraminidase inhibitor (NI) to be licensed by its manufacturer Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham (who went on to form GSK) in 1999 was zanamivir (Relenza), an inhaled diskhaler powder. This was closely followed by oseltamivir (patented by Gilead Science and marketed by Roche) in late 1999: a capsule for oral consumption, usually three tim…