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HONG KONG, July 3 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's health department said on Friday it had detected a case of human swine influenza virus that was resistant to Tamiflu, the main antiviral flu drug.
The World Health Organisation has declared a pandemic is under way from the new H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.
"This is the first time Tamiflu resistance in HSI virus (was) found in Hong Kong," a spokesman for the health department said in a statement.
Only two other cases of Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 have been found so far, in Denmark and Japan.
According to the statement, the virus was isolated from a specimen taken from a 16-year-old girl coming from San Francisco, who was taken in by the Port Health Office at the Hong Kong International Airport upon arrival on June 11.
The virus was identified during the health department's routine sensitivity test of HSI virus to oseltamivir and zanamivir, the spokesman said.
Tamiflu, a tablet known generically as oseltamivir, is made by Switzerland's Roche AG and Gilead Sciences, while Relenza, an inhaled drug known generically as zanamivir, is made by GlaxoSmithKline under licence from Australia's Biota Inc.
The department said that tests showed that the strain was sensitive to zanamivir.
Resistance to Tamiflu has been previously documented in the deadly bird flu virus H5N1 and seasonal H1N1 flu.

"You can always expect a certain number of resistances," said Roche spokeswoman Claudia Schmitt. "It does not necessarily mean that the strain is resistant to Tamiflu."

(Reporting by Michael Flaherty; Additional reporting by Sam Cage; Editing by Alex Richardson) Keywords: FLU/TAMIFLU HONGKONG (michael.flaherty@reuters.com; +852 2843 6540; If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

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By Yoko Kubota

TOKYO, July 2 (Reuters) - Japan has confirmed its first case of a genetic mutation of the new H1N1 flu virus that shows resistance to Tamiflu, the main antiviral flu drug, a health ministry official said on Thursday.
But they said the mutated virus does not appear to be spreading and they see no immediate threat to public health.
They found the drug-resistant virus in a patient who was given Tamiflu to prevent infection but who developed symptoms anyway, the health ministry's Takeshi Enami said.
The World Health Organisation has declared a pandemic is under way from the virus, known as swine flu.
One of the biggest fears is that it will change into a form that resists the effects of the two main antiviral drugs, Tamiflu, made by Switzerland's Roche AG and GlaxoSmithkline's Relenza.
Seasonal flu is no longer affected by older flu drugs and certain strains resist Tamiflu's effects, leaving doctors with fewer options for protecting the most vulnerable patients.
Enami said it was not clear if Tamiflu would have helped the patient, whose age and sex were not given.
The patient was given Relenza and recovered, and does not appear to have infected anyone else.
Kyodo News Agency reported that the patient is a female teacher in her 40s.
Tamiflu, known generically as oseltamivir, and Relenza, known generically as zanamivir, can be used to prevent infection if given early enough. Both can treat flu but Tamiflu is often preferred because it is a tablet, while Relenza must be delivered using an inhaler.
"As of now, we have decided that this does not have a great impact in terms of public health," Enami said.
Only one other case of Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 flu has been found, in a patient in Denmark. WHO officials said the case was isolated.
Flu viruses are notoriously mutation-prone and flu experts say it would not be at all surprising if this new H1N1 flu developed resistance.
"It was not something not to be expected," Roche spokeswoman Martina Rupp said. "This is line with what we already know from clinical trials."
Japan has confirmed 1,351 cases of the H1N1 flu to Wednesday, the health ministry website showed. The World Health Organisation has confirmed more than 77,000 cases of the new H1N1 flu and 332 deaths. But U.S. officials say there are likely at least a million cases there alone.

(Additional reporting by Paul Arnold in Zurich; Editing by Maggie Fox))

((yoko.kubota@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: yoko.kubota.reuters.com@reuters.net; +81-3-6441-1886)) Keywords: FLU/TAMIFLU JAPAN (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)

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RNS Number : 0583V GlaxoSmithKline Capital PLC 02 July 2009

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LONDON, July 2 (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline expanded its emerging markets footprint on Thursday by buying Bristol-Myers Squibb's branded generics drugs business in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Libya and Yemen for $23.2 million.
The cash deal follows the British drugmaker's 2008 purchase of Bristol's mature medicines business in Egypt and underlines the strategy goal of Chief Executive Andrew Witty of making Glaxo a leading player in branded generics in developing countries.
The new acquisition comprises a portfolio of 13 branded pharmaceuticals with annual sales of $11.8 million in 2008.
Last month, Glaxo took another significant step in emerging markets by clinching a deal with Indian generic drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories, giving it access to Dr Reddy's portfolio and future pipeline of more than 100 drugs.
Glaxo also has a collaboration with South Africa's Aspen focused on emerging markets and has signed a deal with China's Shenzhen Neptunus for flu vaccines.
Witty has made growth in emerging markets a top priority for the world's second largest drugmaker and is targeting generic medicines, which can be sold as brands in poorer countries.
Drug sales in emerging markets are expected to grow at a mid-teens percentage rate through 2013, against low single-digits for mature markets, according to IMS Health, the leading tracker of prescription drug data.

(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Simon Jessop) Keywords: GLAXO BRISTOL/ (ben.hirschler@thomsonreuters.com; Tel: +44 20 7542 5082; Reuters Messaging: ben.hirschler.reuters.com@reuters.net; www.twitter.com/reutersBenHir)

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