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To: Casaubon who wrote (40325)	10/31/2005 6:47:13 PM
From: Bucky Katt	Respond to of 116555

Roche makes a killing: As panic spreads over avian flu, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant is accused of putting profits before people. Nick Mathiason reports The Observer For the obsessively guarded, conservatively dressed and unflamboyant Oeri, Hoffman and Sacher families, avian flu could be good news. Over the next two years, the heirs of Fritz Hoffman, founders of Roche, one of the world's most powerful pharmaceutical companies, and who already rank as among the world's richest families, could see their combined £10 billion fortune reach giddy heights. Twenty members of the founding family control Roche, which industry analysts estimate will benefit from the TAMIFLU drug thought to relieve the symptoms of avian flu, with extra profits of £500 million this year and £1bn next. And since the family owns about 10 per cent of shares and crucially 50.01 per cent of voting rights, they will ensure that no outside interests seize their company and enjoy the profits - though many would like to. As avian flu spreads from south east Asia into Europe, sparking fears of a worldwide epidemic that medical experts say could claim 50 million lives, Roche, famous as the company behind the Valium tranquilliser, appears poised to clean up. The Basel-based company is already the fastest growing drugs firm in the world with a share performance to match. Investor returns have increased 50 per cent in a year. Last week its share price reached record highs after it said third-quarter profits rose by 20 per cent to £3.9bn. More>http://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=21820181

To: Casaubon who wrote (40325)	10/31/2005 7:07:12 PM
From: NOW	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 116555

exactly, but the best we have...<: and besides, every dose makes Rummy happy!

To: Casaubon who wrote (40325)	10/31/2005 10:01:04 PM
From: Elroy Jetson	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 116555

Mice infected with a fatal strain of the H5N1 virus circulating in Vietnam were given a five-day course of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) at amounts roughly equivalent to a human dose. Half died. In previous experiments, treated animals infected with the Hong Kong strain all survived. But when mice with the Vietnam virus were treated for a longer period -- eight days -- 80 percent survived. washingtonpost.com This indicates that the development of an effective immune response against H5N1 in mice is roughly eight days. Tamiflu still needs to be given within the first few days to prevent widespread infection and cell destruction, but having halted the viral replication to a crawl, mice need continued viral containment by the drug for eight days. By that time the immune response is sufficient to withdraw the drug. .