bit vs bird flu

Just when it all looked set for BIT to go vertical from its sensational Hep C and likely equally sensational upcoming HIV results, it could be something out of left field that might turbo BIT even higher, the possible resurgence of bird flu.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15638504,00.html
"A bus driver in southern China died on Saturday, December 31, after testing positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus. Health authorities said it was the nation's first reported human case of the deadly disease in 18 months.

The 39-year-old man died of multiple organ failure in the early afternoon after developing symptoms on December 21. China's official Xinhua news agency reported he had no direct contact with poultry in the month leading up to his death and had not left his home city Shenzhen."

From 2006 http://www.biotron.com.au/ftp/24Feb06.pdf

"BIOTRON COMPOUNDS ACTIVE AGAINST BIRD FLU
The Directors of Biotron Limited ('Biotron' or 'the Company') are pleased to advise that Biotron
compounds have been shown to be active against the H5N1 strain of influenza A virus,
commonly known as the 'bird flu'.
A number of Biotron's proprietary antiviral compounds have been tested against various strains
of influenza A and B viruses by a large USA based research organisation. Several compounds
had activity against various influenza A subtypes whilst one compound was shown to have
good activity against a broad range of influenza A subtypes, including the H5N1 strain, as well
as against influenza B. Further tests are being expedited.
The H5N1 strain of influenza A is a highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype that is
becoming endemic in Asia. In recent months several human cases of the disease have occurred
with a high fatality rate. Countries around the world are currently stockpiling existing flu drugs
in case of a worldwide pandemic of a human form of H5N1. Influenza B is less common than
type A, but also causes epidemics. The disease is milder than that produced by influenza A, but
is potentially more serious in elderly patients. Current influenza drugs are ineffective against
influenza B. The broad range of activity of Biotron compounds against influenza A and B
suggests a new mode of action for Biotron's drugs.
In addition, Biotron has developed a high throughput assay to rapidly screen compound
libraries for activity against drug-resistant strains of influenza A. This test will be a valuable
tool in development of the next generation of influenza drugs.
Activity against strains of the influenza virus further demonstrates the strength and depth of
Biotron's Virion antiviral drug development program."

BIT may well be even more needed with such questionable research as this going on http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/12/world-health-organization-deeply-concerned-by-bird-flu-research/250710/

"The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a stern warning on Friday to scientists who have engineered a highly pathogenic form of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, saying their work carries significant risks and must be tightly controlled.

The United Nations health body said it was "deeply concerned about the potential negative consequences" of work by two leading flu research teams who this month said they had found ways to make H5N1 into a easily transmissible form capable of causing lethal human pandemics.

The work by the teams, one in The Netherlands and one in the United States, has already prompted an unprecedented censorship call from U.S. security advisers who fear that publishing details of the research could give potential attackers the know-how to make a bioterror weapon."

Remember when governments all around the world were rushing to stockpile masses of the largely ineffective Tamiflu, BIT could well replace that with something that actually might work.

Let me make it clear, I would never wish an epidemic to occur so I could profit from it but contributing to a company that could stop such a calamity is a different story.

Surely a company with something that offers "a new mode of action" against bird flu should be worth more than $17M just for that alone, let alone having the potential cure for Hep C and HIV as well.