Virotrenz

Uses

Efavirenz in combination with other antiretroviral agents is used for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. This indication is based on analyses of plasma HIV- RNA levels and CD4 cell counts in controlled studies of up to 24 weeks in duration. At present, there are no results from controlled trials evaluating long term suppression of HIVRNA with Efavirenz.

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.

Tenofovir disoproxil is a nucleotide analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor used in the treatment of Hepatitis B infection and used in the management of HIV-1 infection.

Tenofovir is indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the management of HIV-1 infection in adults and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older. It is also indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older . This drug is also a component of multiple products used for the management of HIV-1 infection , .

Safety and effectiveness of tenofovir disoproxil in pediatric patients younger than 2 years of age has not been established to this date .

Virotrenz is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Human 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) InfectionHepatitis B Chronic Infection, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) Infection

How Virotrenz works

Similar to zidovudine, efavirenz inhibits the activity of viral RNA-directed DNA polymerase (i.e., reverse transcriptase). Antiviral activity of efavirenz is dependent on intracellular conversion to the active triphosphorylated form. The rate of efavirenz phosphorylation varies, depending on cell type. It is believed that inhibition of reverse transcriptase interferes with the generation of DNA copies of viral RNA, which, in turn, are necessary for synthesis of new virions. Intracellular enzymes subsequently eliminate the HIV particle that previously had been uncoated, and left unprotected, during entry into the host cell. Thus, reverse transcriptase inhibitors are virustatic and do not eliminate HIV from the body. Even though human DNA polymerase is less susceptible to the pharmacologic effects of triphosphorylated efavirenz, this action may nevertheless account for some of the drug's toxicity.

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.

Tenofovir belongs to a class of antiretroviral drugs known as nucleotide analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NtRTIs), which block reverse transcriptase, an enzyme necessary for viral production in HIV-infected individuals. This enables the management of HIV viral load through decreased viral replication .

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is the fumarate salt of the prodrug tenofovir disoproxil. Tenofovir disoproxil is absorbed and converted to its active form, tenofovir, a nucleoside monophosphate (nucleotide) analog. Tenofovir is then converted to the active metabolite, tenofovir diphosphate, a chain terminator, by constitutively expressed enzymes in the cell. Tenofovir diphosphate inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and the Hepatitis B polymerase by direct binding competition with the natural deoxyribonucleotide substrate (deoxyadenosine 5’-triphosphate) and, after integration into DNA, causes viral DNA chain termination , .

A note on resistance

HIV-1 isolates with decreased susceptibility to tenofovir have been identified in cell culture studies. These viruses expressed a K65R substitution in reverse transcriptase and showed a 2– 4 fold decrease in susceptibility to treatment with tenofovir .

Dosage

Virotrenz dosage

It is recommended that Efavirenz be taken on an empty stomach, preferably at bedtime.

Adults: The recommended dosage of Efavirenz is 600 mg orally, once daily, in combination with a protease inhibitor and/or nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).

Pediatric Patients: Following table describes the recommended dose of Efavirenz for pediatric patients 3 years of age or older and weighing between 10 and 40 kg. The recommended dosage of Efavirenz for pediatric patients weighing greater than 40 kg is 600 mg, once daily.

10 to <15 kg: 200 mg

15 to < 20 kg:250 mg

20 to < 25 kg: 300 mg

25 to < 32.5 kg:350 mg

32.5 to < 40 kg: 400 mg

40 kg: 600 mg

Side Effects

Rashes, psychiatric or CNS disturbances, amnesia, agitation, confusion, dizziness, vertigo, headache, euphoria, insomnia or somnolence, impaired concentration, abnormal thinking or dreaming, depersonalisation, convulsions, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, pancreatitis, fatigue, hepatic failure, photoallergic dermatitis; autoimmune disorders (e.g. Graves’ disease, polymyositis, Guillain-Barre syndrome), osteonecrosis. Accumulation or redistribution of body fat (lipodystrophy) including central obesity, peripheral and facial wasting, buffalo hump, breast enlargement, cushingoid appearance. Metabolic abnormalities e.g. hypercholesterolaemia, hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, hyperlactataemia, insulin resistance.

Toxicity

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.

A note on breastfeeding

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that HIV-1-infected mothers not breast-feed their infants to prevent postnatal transmission of HIV-1. Mothers should be advised not to breast-feed if they are receiving tenofovir disoproxil .

Carcinogenesis

Long-term oral carcinogenicity studies of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in mice and rats were performed at exposures up to approximately 16 times (mice) and 5 times (rats) those observed in humans at the therapeutic dose for HIV-1 infection. At the higher dose in female mice, liver adenomas were increased at exposures 16 times that in humans. In rats, the study was negative for carcinogenic findings at exposures up to 5 times that observed in humans at the therapeutic dose .

Pregnancy

This drug is considered a pregnancy Category B drug. Reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 14 and 19 times the recommended human dose based on body surface area comparisons and revealed no evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to tenofovir. There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women.

Because animal reproduction studies are not consistently reflective of human effects, tenofovir disoproxil should be used during pregnancy only if clearly required. To monitor fetal outcomes of pregnant women taking tenofovir disoproxil, an Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry has been formed. Healthcare providers are encouraged and advised to register patients by calling the number listed on the FDA label for tenofovir disoproxil .

Mutagenesis

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was mutagenic in the in vitro mouse lymphoma assay and negative for mutagenesis in an in vitro bacterial mutagenicity test (Ames test). In an in vivo mouse micronucleus assay, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was negative when administered to male mice.

Impairment of Fertility

There were no observed effects on fertility, mating performance or early embryonic development when tenofovir disoproxil fumarate was given to male rats at a dose comparable to 10 times the human dose based on body surface area comparisons for 28 days before mating and to female rats for 15 days before mating through day seven of gestation. There was, however, changes in the estrous cycle in female rats .

Precaution

Patient with history of seizures and psychiatric disorders; acute porphyria. Patients receiving voriconazole or rifampicin (weighing ≥50 kg). Discontinue if severe rash or fever develops. Moderate hepatic and severe renal impairment. Childn. Pregnancy.

Interaction

Additive CNS effects w/ psychoactive drugs. May alter plasma warfarin concentrations. May reduce plasma concentrations of HIV integrase inhibitors (e.g. dolutegravir), other HIV NNRTIs (e.g. etravirine), HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (e.g. simvastatin). Plasma concentrations of efavirenz is increased and that of voriconazole is reduced when given concomitantly. Reduced plasma concentrations w/ rifampicin.

Volume of Distribution

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

The volume of distribution at steady-state is 1.3 ± 0.6 L/kg and 1.2 ± 0.4 L/kg, following intravenous administration of tenofovir 1.0 mg/kg and 3.0 mg/kg .

After oral administration of tenofovir disoproxil, tenofovir is distributed to the majority tissues with the highest concentrations measured in the kidney, liver and the intestinal contents (based on data from preclinical studies) .

Elimination Route

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

After oral administration of tenofovir disoproxil to patients with HIV infection, tenofovir disoproxil is quickly absorbed and metabolized to tenofovir .

Administration of tenofovir disoproxil 300 mg tablets after a high-fat meal increases the oral bioavailability of this drug, as demonstrated by an increase in tenofovir AUC0-∞ of about 40% as well as an increase in Cmax of about 14%. On the contrary, the administration of tenofovir disoproxil with a light meal did not exert a relevant effect on the pharmacokinetics of tenofovir when compared to administration under fasting conditions. The presence of ingested food slows the time to tenofovir Cmax by approximately 1 hour. Cmax and AUC of tenofovir are 0.33 ± 0.12 μg/mL and 3.32 ± 1.37 μg•hr/mL after several doses of tenofovir disoproxil 300 mg once daily in the fed state when meal content is not controlled .

Half Life

40-55 hours

The half life of emtricitabine is approximately 10 hours.

When a single oral dose is given, the terminal elimination half-life is approximately 17 hours .

Clearance

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 renal function and may vary greatly. Total clearance has been estimated to be approximately 230 ml/h/kg (approximately 300 ml/min) .

On average, renal clearance has been estimated to be approximately 160 ml/h/kg (approximately 210 ml/min), which is in excess of the glomerular filtration rate. This shows that active tubular secretion is an essential part of the elimination of tenofovir .

The FDA label provides specific guidelines for dosing according to renal function. It is important to consult product labeling before administering tenofovir to individuals with renal dysfunction, as the clearance of this drug may vary greatly among these patients .

Elimination Route

Nearly all of the urinary excretion of the radiolabeled drug was in the form of metabolites.

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.

Following IV administration of tenofovir, approximately 70–80% of the dose is recovered in the urine as unchanged tenofovir within 72 hours of dosing. Tenofovir is eliminated by a combination of glomerular filtration and active tubular secretion . There may be competition for elimination with other compounds that are also eliminated by the kidneys.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding use

Category D: There is positive evidence of human fetal risk, but the benefits from use in pregnant women may be acceptable despite the risk (e.g., if the drug is needed in a life-threatening situation or for a serious disease for which safer drugs cannot be used or are ineffective).

Lactation: Efavirenz may pass through breast milk and cause serious harm to the baby. It should not be used during lactation.

Contraindication

Hypersensitivity. Severe hepatic impairment. Lactation. Concomitant admin with terfenadine, astemizole, cisapride, midazolam, triazolam, pimozide, bepridil, ergot alkaloids, St John’s wort.

Special Warning

Paediatric use: Efavirenz has not been studied in pediatric patients below 3 years of age or who weigh less than 10 kg.

Women taking hormone-based birth control: Women should not rely only on hormone-based birth control, such as pills, injections, or implants, because Efavirenz may make these contraceptives ineffective.

Acute Overdose

Symptoms: Increased adverse CNS effects including involuntary muscle contractions.

Management: Supportive and symptomatic treatment. May administer activated charcoal.

Storage Condition

Store at 25°C.

Innovators Monograph

You find simplified version here Virotrenz