A research team has developed a method to make Tamiflu, the antiviral drug considered the best defense against bird flu, from a chemical compound without using a botanical ingredient used by the Swiss manufacturer F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., it was announced Saturday.
Tamiflu, generically known as oseltamivir phosphate, is currently made from shikimic acid, which is found in star anise, a fruit often used as a spice in Chinese cuisine.
The team, led by University of Tokyo Professor Masakatsu Shibasaki, worked out a method to produce the drug without using shikimic acid.
Because botanical ingredients can be affected by climate conditions, using chemicals could help stabilize the Tamiflu supply. Japan and many other countries are trying to stockpile the drug amid fears of a bird flu pandemic.
The team used 1,4-cyclohexadiene to produce the drug via so-called asymmetrical catalysis, according to the researchers.
The university has applied for a patent on the method.