The studies’ lead author, Dr. Frederick Hayden of the UVA School of Medicine, is an expert on influenza antivirals. He served as a consultant for Shionogi on the development of this drug, though his fees were paid to a charity. “I’ve worked on flu antivirals since I started my fellowship in 1976. This is the most potent single agent that I’ve seen to date in terms of its effect on replication in acute influenza,” he said.