Tamiflu-Resistance Gene in H7N9 Bird Flu Spurs Drug Tests
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A gene mutation known to help influenza resist Tamiflu was found in the first of three H7N9 bird-flu patient specimens in China, sequence data show.
The flu virus from the patient in Shanghai has a mutation known as R292K that causes high-level resistance to the Roche Holding AG pill and reduced sensitivity to a related drug from GlaxoSmithKline Plc called Relenza, genetic sequence information posted on the website of the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data show. Subsequent H7N9 specimens from a patient in Shanghai and one in Anhui province don’t show the mutation.