funded research team Tuesday unveiled an organic compound that it says can kill swine flu and bird flu viruses in the environment to help prevent their spread. The National Taiwan University team said the compound – which it has named “VirusBom” – can be made into a hand wash, a spraying agent or integrated into air filters and fabrics like facial masks to effectively kill a variety of viruses such as A(H1N1) swine flu and avian influenza and stop the spread of bacteria including those responsible for staph infections. The invention was unveiled as the World Health Organization said Tuesday the death toll from swine flu had passed 700 since the outbreak began in April. Researchers said the invention was of special significance amid signs that swine flu had started to develop resistance to Tamiflu, the world's major anti-viral flu drug. C.K. Lee, a professor of engineering science who leads the NTU team, described the chemical as “a simple, organic compound” developed through “synthetic methodology” in the lab. He refused to give details, saying the team is applying for patents in Taiwan and the United States. Lee said “VirusBom” differed from ordinary antiseptics on the market such as Purell because it specifically targets the swine and bird flu viruses while other products do not. “This particular compound prevents the virus (from) entering your body to interact with your immune system,” he said. “All types of viruses, the swine flu, bird flu and intestinal diseases collapse” after being exposed to the compound, he said. In a rare scientific breakthrough, he said a dose of between 30 and 300 ppm (parts per million) of the compound can break up the virus and kill it without causing any damage to human cells. The compound has the potential to be developed into a drug, which would require a dose lower than 3 ppm to work in the human body, he said. The team had started research on developing the anti-viral compound back in 2006 in response to the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. The technology has been transferred to a local company to mass produce products incorporating it. Lin said the first products using the compound could hit the market in Sept.
