First new drug for influenza in decades

The US Food and Drug Administration has recently announced the fast-tracked approval of the first new pharmacological agent for the treatment of influenza to be released in more than 20 years. Baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza) was approved by the FDA for treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza in patients 12 years of age and older who have been symptomatic for no more than 48 hours. The treatment is administered as a single oral dose, but there is some degree of controversy (as seems so common for new drugs) about the cost of treatment, which is expected to exceed $US120 for a single dose. Read the FDA press release here.