Symtuza

Uses

Cobicistat is a CYP3A inhibitor used to increase the systemic exposure of atazanavir or darunavir in combination with other antiretroviral agents in the treatment of HIV-1 infection.

Cobicistat is a CYP3A inhibitor indicated to increase systemic exposure of atazanavir or darunavir (once daily dosing regimen) in combination with other antiretroviral agents in the treatment of HIV-1 infection. It is not interchangeable with ritonavir to increase systemic exposure of darunavir 600 mg twice daily, fosamprenavir, saquinavir, or tipranavir due to lack of exposure data. The use of cobicistat is not recommended with darunavir 600 mg twice daily, fosamprenavir, saquinavir or tipranavir. Complex or unknown mechanisms of drug interactions preclude extrapolation of ritonavir drug interactions to certain cobicistat interactions. Cobicistat and ritonavir when administered with either atazanavir or darunavir may result in different drug interactions when used with concomitant medications.

Darunavir is a HIV protease inhibitor used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in patients with history of prior antiretroviral therapies.

Darunavir, co-administered with ritonavir, and with other antiretroviral agents, is indicated for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in children age 3 or above and adults with HIV-1 infection.

Emtricitabine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used for the treatment and prophylaxis of HIV.

Emtricitabine is indicated in combination with other medications for the treatment of HIV-1 infections; treatment of HIV-1 infections in pediatric patients 25-35kg, treatment of HIV-1 infections in adult patients ≥35kg, for pre exposure prophylaxis of HIV-1 in adolescent and adult patients excluding those who have receptive vaginal sex; treatment of HIV-1 infections in pediatric and adult patients ≥17kg, pre exposure prophylaxis in adolescents and adults ≥35kg; treatment of HIV-1 in patients ≥12 years and ≥35kg; treatment of HIV-1 in patients weighing ≥35kg; treatment of HIV-1 in patients weighing ≥25kg; and treatment of HIV-1 in patients weighing ≥40kg.

This is used for the treatment of:

• Chronic hepatitis B virus infection in adults
• HIV infected adults in combination with other anti retroviral agents

Symtuza is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infections, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) InfectionHuman Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) InfectionHIV Transmission, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infections, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1), Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Infection

How Symtuza works

Cobicistat is a mechanism-based inhibitor of cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) isoforms. Inhibition of CYP3A-mediated metabolism by cobicistat increases the systemic exposure of CYP3A substrates atazanavir and darunavir and therefore enables increased anti-viral activity at a lower dosage. Cobicistat does not have any anti-HIV activity on its own.

The HIV-1 protease enzyme is necessary for viral precursor protein processing and viral maturation in preparation for infection, and is therefore a target for antiretroviral therapy for HIV. Protease inhibitors are used as a part of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in patients diagnosed with HIV infection. It has been shown to effectively suppress the virus, leading to significantly decreased morbidity and mortality rates.

Darunavir, a HIV protease inhibitor, prevents HIV replication through binding to the enzyme, stopping the dimerization and the catalytic activity of HIV-1 protease. In particular, it inhibits the cleavage of HIV encoded Gag-Pol proteins in cells that have been infected with the virus, halting the formation of mature virus particles, which spread the infection. The close contact that darunavir makes with the primary chains of the active site amino acids (Asp-29 and Asp-30) on the protease likely contributes to its potency and efficacy against resistant variants of HIV-1.

Darunavir is known to bind to different sites on the enzyme: the active site cavity and the surface of one of the flexible flaps in the protease dimer. Darunavir can adapt to changes in the shape of a protease enzyme due to its molecular flexibility.

Emtricitabine is a cytidine analog which, when phosphorylated to emtricitabine 5'-triphosphate, competes with deoxycytidine 5'-triphosphate for HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. As HIV-1 reverse transcriptase incorporates emtricitabine into forming DNA strands, new nucleotides are unable to be incorporated, leading to viral DNA chain termination. Inhibition of reverse transcriptase prevents transcription of viral RNA into DNA, therefore the virus is unable to incorporate its DNA into host DNA and replicate using host cell machinery. This reduces viral load.

Once tenofovir is activated by a bi-phosphorylation it acts as an antiviral acyclic nucleoside phosphonate. It is a potent inhibitor of the viral reverse transcriptase with an inhibitory constant of approximately 0.022 micromolar.

Once activated, tenofovir acts with different mechanisms including the inhibition of viral polymerase causing chain termination and the inhibition of viral synthesis. All these activities are attained by its competition with deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate in the generation of new viral DNA. Once tenofovir is incorporated in the chain, it induces a chain termination which in order inhibits viral replication. The safety of tenofovir relies on its low affinity towards the cellular DNA polymerase including the mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma.

Dosage

Symtuza dosage

The recommended dose of Tenofovir in chronic hepatitis B virus infection in adults 18 years of age and older with adequate renal function is 300 mg once daily with or without food.

Side Effects

The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and flatulence.

Toxicity

The most common adverse reactions reported during clinical trials were jaundice (13%), ocular icterus (15%), and nausea (12%).

LD50 information for darunavir is not readily available in the literature. One-time doses of up to 3,200 mg of darunavir in an oral solution and up to 1,600 mg of the tablet formulation of darunavir with ritonavir have been given volunteers without significant symptoms.

Information about an overdose with darunavir with ritonavir is limited. No specific antidote exists for this drug. Treatment of In the case of an overdose, employ general supportive measures. Monitor vital signs and clinical status. It is unlikely that darunavir not amenable to removal by dialysis due to its high level of protein binding.

The LD₅₀ of emtricitabine is not readily available.[9019,L9818]

Symptoms of emtricitabine toxicity include hepatotoxicity with steatosis, as well as lactic acidosis. Treat overdose with symptomatic and supportive measures, including hemodialysis.

There haven't been reports regarding the LD50 of the parent compound nor the effects of an overdose. However, based on the reports with the derivative that most rapidly transforms into tenofovir, tenofovir disoproxil, it is recommended to monitor overdose patients. As well, it is widely known that tenofovir is efficiently removed by hemodialysis.

Administration of high doses of tenofovir has been reported to produce bone toxicity reported as osteomalacia and reduced bone mineral density and to produce some degree of renal toxicity.

To know more about the carcinogenicity and mutagenic potential of tenofovir, as well as the effect on fertility, please visit the drug entries for the derivatives tenofovir disoproxil and tenofovir alafenamide.

Precaution

Co-administration with other drugs: Tenofovir should not be administered concurrently with Emtricitabine & Tenofovir combination or Adefovir Dipivoxil.

Lactic Acidosis & Severe Hepatomegaly with Steatosis: Though the risk of occurrence of lactic acidosis is low for Tenofovir, treatment should be suspended in any patient who develops lactic acidosis or hepatotoxicity.

Exacerbation of hepatitis after discontinuation of treatment: Discontinuation of Tenofovirtherapy may be associated with severe acute exacerbation of hepatitis.

Interaction

Co-administration of Tenofovir with anti-retroviral, entecavir, lamivudine, methadone, oral contraceptives, ribavirin and tacrolimus did not result in significant drug interactions. The effects of co-administration of Tenofovir with other drugs that are renally eliminated or are known to affect renal function have not been evaluated.

Volume of Distribution

The volume of distribution of darunavir in one pharmacokinetic study in conjunction with ritonavir was 206.5 L (with a range of 161.0–264.9) in healthy young adult volunteers. Another pharmacokinetic study revealed a volume of distribution of 220 L.

The apparent central volume of distribution is 42.3L and the peripheral volume of distribution is 55.4L.

Accumulation of tenofovir in plasma is related to the presence of nephrotoxic effects. It is reported that tenofovir presents a volume of distribution of 0.813 L/kg.

Elimination Route

Median peak plasma concentrations were observed at 3.5 hours post-dose.

The absolute oral bioavailability of one single 600 mg dose of darunavir alone and with 100 mg of ritonavir twice a day was 37% and 82%, respectively. Exposure to darunavir in boosted patients has been found to be 11 times higher than in unboosted patients. Tmax is achieved approximately 2.4 to 4 hours after oral administration.

When darunavir is taken with food, the Cmax and AUC of darunavir given with ritonavir increase by 30% when compared to the fasted state.

Emtricitabine reaches a C_max of 1.8±0.7µg/mL with a T_max of 1-2 hours, and has an AUC of 10±3.1µg*hr/mL. The bioavailability of emtricitabine capsules is 93% and the bioavailability of the oral solution is 75%. Taking emtricitabine with food decreases the C_max by 29%.[L9019

Tenofovir as the active moiety presents a very low bioavailability when orally administered. Hence, the administration of this active agent is required to be under its two prodrug forms, tenofovir disoproxil and tenofovir alafenamide. This reduced absorption is suggested to be related to the presence of two negative charges among its structure. This negative charge limits its cellular penetration, and its passive diffusion across cellular membranes and intestinal mucosa hindering its availability for oral administration.

Intravenous tenofovir has been shown to produce a maximum plasma concentration of 2500 ng/ml with an AUC of 4800 ng.h/ml.

Half Life

The terminal plasma half-life of cobicistat is approximately 3 to 4 hours.

The terminal elimination half-life of darunavir is approximately 15 hours when it is combined with ritonavir.

The half life of emtricitabine is approximately 10 hours.

The reported half-life of tenofovir is of 32 hours.

Clearance

Darunavir has a low renal clearance. After intravenous administration, the clearance darunavir administered alone and with 100 mg ritonavir twice daily, was 32.8 L/h and 5.9 L/h, respectively.

Emtricitabine has an apparent elimination rate of 15.1L/h. This rate is closely linked to creatinine clearance.

The clearance of tenofovir is highly dependent on the patient renal stage and hence the clearance rate in patients with renal impairment is reported to be of 134 ml/min while in patients with normal function the clearance rate can be of 210 ml/min.

Elimination Route

With single dose administration of [14C] cobicistat after multiple dosing of cobicistat for six days, the mean percent of the administered dose excreted in feces and urine was 86.2% and 8.2%, respectively.

A mass balance study in healthy volunteers demonstrated that after single dose administration of 400 mg 14C-darunavir, given with 100 mg ritonavir, approximately 79.5% and 13.9% of the administered dose of radiolabeled darunavir was obtained in the feces and urine, respectively. Excretion of unchanged drug accounted for 8.0% of the darunavir dose in volunteers who were unboosted.

In boosted darunavir administration, unchanged darunavir made up 48.8% of the excreted dose in boosted subjects due to inhibition of darunavir metabolism by ritonavir. Unchanged drug in the urine made up 1.2% of the administered dose in volunteers who where unboosted, and 7.7% in boosted volunteers.

Emtricitabine is 86% recovered in the urine and 14% recovered in feces. 13% of the dose is recovered in the urine as metabolites; 9% as 3'-sulfoxide diastereomers and 4% as 2'-O-glucuronide.

Tenofovir is eliminated in the urine by tubular secretion and glomerular filtration. The elimination of this compound is driven by the activity of the human organic anion transporters 1 and 3 and its secretion is mainly ruled by the activity of the multidrug resistance-associated protein 4.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding use

Pregnancy: Pregnancy category B. It should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.

Lactation: It is not known whether it is excreted in human milk. Mothers should be instructed not to breast feed if they are taking Tenofovir.

Contraindication

Tenofovir is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to Tenofovir or any component of the product.

Special Warning

Pediatric use: Safety and effectiveness of Tenofovir in pediatric patients below the age of 18 years have not been established.Geriatrics use: Clinical studies of Tenofovir did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 years and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects. But care should be taken in dose selection, and it may be useful to monitor renal function.Renal Impairment: Haemodialysis patients: 300 mg once every 7 days or after a cumulative total of 12 hr of dialysis.

• CrCl (10-29 mL/min): 300 mg 72-96 hrly.
• CrCl (30-49 mL/min): 300 mg 48 hrly.

Hepatic impairment

: No dose adjustment is required in patients with hepatic impairment.

Acute Overdose

There is no experience of Tenofovir overdose reported in patients

Storage Condition

Store in a cool and dry place, protected from light and moisture. Keep the medicine out of the reach of children.

Innovators Monograph

You find simplified version here Symtuza