Study could aid bird flu drugs (Moldova.org) University of Texas and Rutgers researchers have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight bird flu and other influenza strains.The scientists identified the three-dimensional structure of an influenza A virus protein that plays a central role in suppressing a person's natural defenses to infection and paves the way for the virus to spread. This so-called NS1 virus ... [News Source]

New flu vaccine approach hopeful, Novavax says (Reuters via Yahoo! News) A new type of bird flu vaccine that uses a mock version of the virus appears to protect people against infection and is safe enough to continue testing, Novavax Inc. said on Tuesday. [News Source]

Novavax says experimental bird flu vaccine works (BizJournals) Novavax Inc. says its experimental vaccine against one strain of avian influenza produced a strong immune response in humans. (NVAX) [News Source]

Discovery paves way for drugs to fight bird flu, other influenza epidemics (New Kerala) Washington, Aug 26 : Researchers at Rutgers University and The University of Texas at Austin have found a new drug target in the fight against bird flu and other virulent strains of influenza. [News Source]

Researchers find weak spot in bird flu viruses (New Kerala) Washington, Aug 26 : Researchers have uncovered the Achilles heel of dreaded flu viruses, potentially opening the way for combating them and other virulent strains much more effectively. [News Source]

Breakthrough discovery may lead to new drugs to fight bird flu, other epidemics (News-Medical-Net) Researchers at Rutgers University and The University of Texas at Austin have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight the much-feared bird flu and other virulent strains of influenza. [News Source]

Bird flu strain in India, Bangladesh similar (The Times of India) The bird flu virus, that caused India's worst Avian Influenza (AI) outbreak this year, has been found to be "a lot similar" to the one that created havoc in Bangladesh. [News Source]

UT researchers make major discovery that could help fight virulent flu strains (Austin Business Journal) University of Texas researchers say they have made a discovery that may help scientists develop drugs to fight avian flu and other strains of influenza. [News Source]

Rhode Island reports H7N3 in swans (CIDRAP) Aug 25, 2008 (CIDRAP News) – Wildlife officials in Rhode Island recently announced that during routine surveillance they detected the low-pathogenic form of H7N3 avian influenza in wild mute swans. [News Source]

Protein Structure Discovery Opens Door For Drugs To Fight Bird Flu, Other Influenza Epidemics (Science Daily) Researchers have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight the much-feared bird flu and other virulent strains of influenza. They have determined the three-dimensional structure of a site on an influenza A virus protein that binds to one of its human protein targets, thereby suppressing a person's natural defenses to the infection and paving the way for the virus to ... [News Source]

Discovery opens door for drugs to fight bird flu, other influenza epidemics (PhysOrg) Researchers at Rutgers University and The University of Texas at Austin have reported a discovery that could help scientists develop drugs to fight the much-feared bird flu and other virulent strains of influenza. [News Source]

Pitt scientists receive $3.6M to test vaccine against deadliest strain of avian flu (EurekAlert!) ( University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences ) Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research have been awarded $3.6 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to conduct animal studies of vaccines designed to protect against the most common and deadliest strain of avian flu, H5N1. Recent outbreaks of H5N1 have prompted health ... [News Source]