Japanese brewery claims antibody works against bird flu

A Japanese brewery says its U.S. subsidiary has developed an antibody that may be effective against bird flu.

Kirin, Japan's second-largest brewer says its subsidiary, Gemini Science Inc., is planning to develop a drug through a partnership.

But according to a company spokesman, it could take as long as two or three years to commercialize any such product.

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza has killed 71 people since late 2003, spreading through flocks of poultry across Asia and into Europe.

One result is that anti-bird flu measures are a closely watched topic in the stock market.

Last week textile maker Nisshinbo Industries Inc. shares surged after the company announced a partnership with a Japanese university had jointly developed a new fabric that destroys the bird flu virus.

The company claims the product can be used for masks and clothing as well as for materials for chicken coops.

Interestingly Kirin Brewery shares also rose 7.1 percent to 1,412 yen after earlier climbing as high as to 1,471 yen, a level last seen in 1999.