The BBC has an article about a better way to make Tamiflu, the ant-viral drug a lot of the world might need if/when we have a pandemic flu. The new approach uses the plant star anise, grown in the mountains in China – “A Nobel laureate has devised a new way to make the anti-flu drug Tamiflu that is simpler and quicker than the process employed to produce it right now. Elias Corey’s hope is that his novel approach will mean the drug is cheaper to manufacture and more plentiful. “ – [via] Link.
And more – New Routes To Tamiflu Emerge – …the Japanese researchers have applied for a patent, Corey and coworkers have put their process in the public domain. “I hope the work will stimulate others to work on different ways of synthesizing Tamiflu,” Corey says. “Although our route is already very efficient, it’s conceivable that when you put new developments together, you’ll have an even better and cheaper process. I think the Tamiflu supply problem is solved.” – – Link.
Last up – The recipe, A Short Enantioselective Pathway for the Synthesis of the Anti-Influenza Neuramidase Inhibitor Oseltamivir from 1,3-Butadiene and Acrylic Acid – Link.
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