$6.5m in grants to bird flu projects

The Commonwealth government has outlined AUD$6.5 million in urgent funding for 33 research projects aiming to prevent, detect or control avian influenza and other respiratory disease outbreaks.

Among the beneficiaries was Melbourne-based Biota Holdings (ASX:BTA), which was awarded a grant of $91,350 to determine the efficacy and resistance profile of its long-acting neuraminidase inhibitor against several avian flu strains.

Health minister Tony Abbott said the projects were expected to lead to important advances in Australia's pandemic planning. "Australia is comparatively well prepared for a pandemic, but improved ways of detecting highly pathogenic avian flu strains in the country and among individual patients will further reduce the impact of any pandemic," he said.

Among the projects to be funded are:

• Universities of Sydney and NSW ($450,000 and $250,000 respectively) for development of improved diagnostics.
• Westmead Millennium Institute ($118,000) for development of a rapid diagnostic test for monitoring the development and transmission of drug-resistant influenza.
• University of Melbourne ($400,000) to test flu vaccines in ferrets.
• University of Queensland ($300,000) to look at new ways of managing and supporting frontline health workers in an infectious disease outbreak.

Abbott said the government had spent $555 million on preparedness measures since the emergence of bird flu in Asia in 2003.