With news of the flu pandemic never far from the headlines investors have been quick to jump on companies that might benefit from demand for their products. Today, the attention fell on BioCryst, following the release of positive phase III data on the company’s antiviral peramivir, announced by Japanese partner Shionogi.

Shares in the company leapt 43% to $6.02 in early trade, an 18-month high. The excitement is not only down to the pandemic potential, but also because of the drug’s rocky clinical progress so far. With cases of swine flu on the rise, only two approved antivirals on the market and very little in the R&D cupboard other than peramivir, this first confirmatory pivotal data is great news on many levels (Flu antivirals in demand but few options in pipeline, January 12, 2009).