Zanamivir in the treatment and prevention of influenza.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of zanamivir in the prevention and treatment of influenza. DATA SOURCES: Medical literature was accessed through MEDLINE (1966-June 1999). Key search terms included zanamivir, GG167, and influenza. Additional information was obtained from GlaxoWellcome, Inc. DATA SYNTHESIS: Zanamivir is the first in a new class of drugs to be developed for the treatment of influenza. An evaluation of clinical trials using inhaled zanamivir was conducted to determine its efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Zanamivir appears to shorten the median duration of influenza symptoms by up to 2.5 days when compared with placebo. It was well tolerated in clinical trials, with mild adverse effects occurring in a small percentage of subjects.