Budd, AlisonAlleva, LisaAlsharifi, MohammedKoskinen, AulikkiSmythe, VictoriaMullbacher, ArnoWood, JeffreyClark, Ian A2015-12-080066-4804http://hdl.handle.net/1885/31927Gemfibrozil, an agent that inhibits production of proinflammatory cytokines in addition to its clinically useful lipid-lowering activity, increased survival in BALB/c mice that were already ill from infection by influenza virus A/Japan/305/57 (H2N2). Gemfibrozil was administered intraperitoneally once daily from days 4 to 10 after intranasal exposure to the virus. Survival increased from 26% in vehicle-treated mice (n = 50) to 52% in mice given gemfibrozil at 60 mg/kg/day (n = 46) (P = 0.0026). If this principle translates to patients, a drug already approved for human use, albeit by a different route for another purpose, might be adapted relatively fast for use against influenza, conceivably including human infection with a derivative of the avian H5N1 strain.Keywords: cytokine; gemfibrozil; adolescent; animal experiment; animal model; article; Bagg albino mouse; controlled study; cytokine production; drug efficacy; female; influenza; Influenza virus A; Influenza virus A H5N1; mouse; nonhuman; priority journal; survival200710.1128/AAC.00219-072015-12-08