Overview

• The University of Würzburg team published a preclinical sensor in ACS Central Science that is intended for formats such as chewing gum or lozenges.
• The molecule links thymol to a neuraminidase substrate so viral enzyme activity frees the flavor, translating influenza presence into a taste signal.
• Chemical tuning, including methylation, was used to favor viral over bacterial or mammalian neuraminidases for improved specificity.
• In vitro studies showed thymol release within about 30 minutes in saliva from confirmed flu cases and no detectable changes in human or mouse cell function.
• The authors have registered a European patent and are working with startup FlareOn Biotech, with clinical trials planned in roughly two years and broader development expected to take several years.