Lamivudine/zidovudine

Lamivudine/zidovudine
Combination of
Lamivudine Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor
Zidovudine Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor
Clinical data
MedlinePlus a601066
Pregnancy
category
  • US: C (Risk not ruled out)
Routes of
administration		 Oral
Legal status
Legal status
Identifiers
ATC code J05AR01 (WHO)
PubChem CID 160352
ChemSpider 21106283 YesY
NIAID ChemDB 031479
  (verify)

Lamivudine/zidovudine (INNs, trade name Combivir) is a pharmaceutical treatment for HIV infection. It is a fixed dose combination of two antiretroviral drugs, lamivudine (also called 3TC, with the brand name Epivir) and zidovudine (also called AZT or ZDV, with the brand name Retrovir). The drug is a part of the class of medicines called Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs).[1] Combining of the two drugs has a stronger and more sustained effect than using either drug alone, and assists in reducing pill burden and in aiding compliance with the antiretroviral drug therapy.

Both lamivudine and zidovudine are reverse transcriptase inhibitors, which block the action of an enzyme, reverse transcriptase, that the virus requires for reproduction. It reduces the viral load in the body and raises CD4 cell count.

It was approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration on September 26, 1997, making it the thirteenth approved antiretroviral. It is marketed by ViiV Healthcare. As of 2015 the cost for a typical month of medication in the United States more than 200 USD.[2]

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Hamilton, Richart (2015). Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia 2015 Deluxe Lab-Coat Edition. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 59. ISBN 9781284057560.

External links

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