In order to give a tough competition to Roche Holding AG's antiviral flu drug Tamiflu, GlaxoSmithKline PLC has also developed a similar drug naming intravenous zanamivir, which is soon to start with its pilot study.

The pilot study, which is taken part by 462 patients across 20 nations, will be completed in nearly three years. The trial has kept in view flu seasons in the northern and southern hemispheres.

At presently, only inhaled form of an intravenous zanamivir under the brand name Relenza made by Australia's Biota Holdings LTD can be sold.

Citing massive prevalence of flu incidences both the last and current year across the UK and in a number of European countries, GSK want to have an upper edge over Roche in the field of drugs for the treatment of flu.

Earlier, the GSK had stated that they contemplated over developing zanamivir's intravenous form as the clinical reports had showed that the drug proved beneficial even when other treatments could not do the same. In 2009, the doctors in Britain told that they were able to ensure survival of a woman affected with severe form of H1N1 swine flu and enduring chemotherapy recently by treating her with unlicensed intravenous zanamivir.