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The Best Flu Drug Americans Aren’t Taking

Antiviral drugs for influenza, the best known of which is Tamiflu, are—let’s be honest—not exactly miracle cures. They marginally shorten the course of illness, especially if taken within the first 48 hours. But amid possibly the worst flu season in 25 years, driven by a variant imperfectly matched to the vaccine, these underused drugs can make a bout of flu a little less miserable. So consider an antiviral. And specifically, consider Xofluza, a lesser-known drug that is in fact better than Tamiflu.

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  What You Need to Know About Xofluza, the New Flu Medicine

Xofluza interferes with a protein inside the flu virus called polymerase acidic endonuclease, which helps stop the virus from replicating, Dr. Adalja explains. The class of drugs that Tamiflu is in is called neuraminidase inhibitors (it also includes zanamivir and peramivir) and they work by attacking a certain part of the virus called neuraminidase to keep it from spreading

Articles of Interest

A New Flu Drug Was Just Approved by the FDA. It's the First in Nearly 20 Years

Overall, Xofluza appears to target an earlier step in the process of viral replication than Tamiful does...

Experimental Drug Promises to Kill the Flu Virus in a Day

Scientists at the Japanese company leveraged their work on a blockbuster anti-HIV drug to create the compound, which works differently from existing flu medicines. It blocks the flu virus from hijacking human cellular machinery, Chief Executive Isao Teshirogi said. Switzerland’s Roche has acquired the international license to distribute Shionogi’s experimental drug.

FDA approves Xofluza for treatment of influenza in children 5 years and older

The FDA approval is supported by data from 2 phase 3 studies. The first, miniSTONE-2, compared Xofluza with oseltamivir in children with influenza who were otherwise healthy. The second, BLOCKSTONE compared Xofluza with a placebo for both children and adults living with a family member who had influenza.

FDA Approves Xofluza: What Makes This New Flu Treatment Different

A unique feature about XOFLUZA, compared to neuroaminidase inhibitors like Tamiflu and Relenza, is that you only have to take a single dose. Not multiple doses for multiple days. For example, Tamiflu typically requires 2 doses each day for 5 days. It is a lot easier to remember to take zero doses after that first dose than 9 more doses.

Study says baloxavir fights all 4 flu types, many animal flu viruses

Baloxavir displayed broad antiviral activity against diverse influenza viruses, including all 4 types and animal-origin influenza A viruses with pandemic potential.

The FDA just approved the first new flu drug in 20 years. Here’s what you need to know

Xofluza can help thousands of people this flu season, but it's not for everyone.

What the approval of the new flu drug Xofluza means for you

A new single-dose treatment gives doctors a novel way to fight influenza infections.

Xofluza vs. Tamiflu: Which Is Better for Treating the Flu?

Both of these medications will help you feel better about 1 to 2 days faster than if you didn’t take anything. Experts have found that people who take Xofluza feel better about 8 hours faster than those who take Tamiflu. However, those results weren’t statistically significant (meaning the difference could have happened by chance). If you’re looking to feel better as fast as possible, Xofluza might be the better option — but not by much.

Resources

Dose

XOFLUZA should be taken as a single dose as soon as possible and within 48 hours of influenza symptom onset for treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza or following contact with an individual who has influenza.

Xofluza

XOFLUZA is approved for treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis of the flu in otherwise healthy patients aged ≥5 years.

CDC

Baloxavir works differently than the other currently recommended flu antiviral drugs, which are neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir, zanamivr and peramivir).