‘TamiGold’: phospha-oseltamivir-stabilised gold nanoparticles as the basis for influenza therapeutics and diagnostics targeting the neuraminidase (instead of the hemagglutinin)

The strong and selective binding of 2 types of gold nanoparticles that are decorated with the oseltamivir (aka TamifluTM) pharmacophore to wild-type and resistant influenza virus strains, including isolates from the 2009 pandemic, is reported. The particles interact with the virus neuraminidase rather than the hemagglutinin and could serve as a vantage point for novel influenza virus sensors, due to the intrinsic advantages of oseltamivir over the natural sialic acid ligand or even zanamivir.