Drug Expert: HIV
Treatment with HIV medicines is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART can’t cure HIV, but taking HIV medicines help those living with HIV live longer, healthier lives. People on ART take a combination of HIV medicines (referred to as their HIV regimen) every day. A person’s initial HIV regimen generally includes three HIV medicines from at least two different drug classes. Today we’re going to discuss those drug classes, what they do, and what drugs belong to them.
Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
NRTIs block reverse transcriptase, an enzyme HIV needs to make copies of itself.
| Generic Name (other name, abbreviation) | Brand Name |
| abacavir (abacavir sulfate, ABC) | Ziagen |
| emtricitabine (FTC) | Emtriva |
| lamivudine (3TC) | Epivir |
| tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (tenofovir DF, TDF) | Viread |
| zidovudine (azidothymidine, AZT, ZDV) | Retrovir |
Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)
NNRTIs bind to and later alter reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that HIV needs in order to make copies of itself.
| Generic Name (other name, abbreviation) | Brand Name |
| doravirine (DOR) | Pifeltro |
| efavirenz (EFV) | Sustiva |
| etravirine (ETR) | Intelence |
| nevirapine (extended-release nevirapine, NVP) | Viramune / Viramune XR (extended release) |
| rilpivirine (rilpivirine hydrochloride, RPV) | Edurant |
Protease Inhibitors (PIs)
PIs block HIV protease, an enzyme HIV needs to make copies of itself.
| Generic Name (other name, abbreviation) | Brand Name |
| atazanavir (atazanavir sulfate, ATV) | Reyataz |
| darunavir (darunavir ethanolate, DRV) | Prezista |
| fosamprenavir (fosamprenavir calcium, FOS-APV, FPV) | Lexiva |
| ritonavir (RTV)** | Norvir |
| saquinavir (saquinavir mesylate, SQV) | Invirase |
| tipranavir (TPV) | Aptivus |
**Although ritonavir is a PI, it is generally used as a pharmacokinetic enhancer as recommended in the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection.
Fusion Inhibitors
Fusion inhibitors block HIV from entering the CD4 cells of the immune system.
| Generic Name (other name, abbreviation) | Brand Name |
| enfuvirtide (T-20) | Fuzeon |
CCR5 Antagonists
CCR5 Antagonists block CCR5 coreceptors on the surface of certain immune cells.
| Generic Name (other name, abbreviation) | Brand |
| maraviroc (MVC) | Selzentry |
Integrase Inhibitors
Integrase inhibitors block HIV integrase, an enzyme HIV needs to make copies of itself.
| Generic Name (other name, abbreviation) | Brand |
| dolutegravir (DTG, dolutegravir sodium) | Tivicay |
| raltegravir (raltegravir potassium, RAL) | Isentress, Isentress HD |
Pharmacokinetic Enhancers
Pharmacokinetic enhancers are used in HIV treatment to increase the effectiveness of an HIV medicine included in an HIV regimen.
| Generic Name (other name, abbreviation) | Brand |
| cobicistat (COBI) | Tybost |
Combination HIV Medicines
Combination HIV medicines contain two or more HIV medicines from one or more drug classes.
| Generic Name (other name, abbreviation) | Brand |
| abacavir and lamivudine (abacavir sulfate / lamivudine, ABC / 3TC) | Epzicom |
| abacavir, dolutegravir, and lamivudine (abacavir sulfate / dolutegravir sodium / lamivudine, ABC / DTG / 3TC) | Triumeq |
| abacavir, lamivudine, and zidovudine (abacavir sulfate / lamivudine / zidovudine, ABC / 3TC / ZDV) | Trizivir |
| atazanavir and cobicistat (atazanavir sulfate / cobicistat, ATV / COBI) | Evotaz |
| bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (bictegravir sodium / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, BIC / FTC / TAF) | Biktarvy |
| darunavir and cobicistat (darunavir ethanolate / cobicistat, DRV / COBI) | Prezcobix |
| darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (darunavir ethanolate / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir AF, darunavir ethanolate / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide, darunavir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir AF, darunavir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, DRV / COBI / FTC / TAF) | Symtuza |
| dolutegravir and rilpivirine (dolutegravir sodium / rilpivirine hydrochloride, DTG / RPV) | Juluca |
| doravirine, lamivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (doravirine / lamivudine / TDF, doravirine / lamivudine / tenofovir DF, DOR / 3TC / TDF) | Delstrigo |
| efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (efavirenz / emtricitabine / tenofovir DF, EFV / FTC / TDF) | Atripla |
| efavirenz, lamivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (EFV / 3TC / TDF) | Symfi |
| efavirenz, lamivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (EFV / 3TC / TDF) | Symfi Lo |
| elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (elvitegravir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide, EVG / COBI / FTC / TAF) | Genvoya |
| elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (QUAD, EVG / COBI / FTC / TDF) | Stribild |
| emtricitabine, rilpivirine, and tenofovir alafenamide (emtricitabine / rilpivirine / tenofovir AF, emtricitabine / rilpivirine / tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, emtricitabine / rilpivirine hydrochloride / tenofovir AF, emtricitabine / rilpivirine hydrochloride / tenofovir alafenamide, emtricitabine / rilpivirine hydrochloride / tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, FTC / RPV / TAF) | Odefsey |
| emtricitabine, rilpivirine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (emtricitabine / rilpivirine hydrochloride / tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, emtricitabine / rilpivirine / tenofovir, FTC / RPV / TDF) | Complera |
| emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide (emtricitabine / tenofovir AF, emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, FTC / TAF) | Descovy |
| emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (emtricitabine / tenofovir DF, FTC / TDF) | Truvada |
| lamivudine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Temixys, 3TC / TDF) | Cimduo |
| lamivudine and zidovudine (3TC / ZDV) | Combivir |
| lopinavir and ritonavir (ritonavir-boosted lopinavir, LPV/r, LPV / RTV) | Kaletra |