Emtriva (Emtricitabine) Drug Information: Description, User Reviews, Drug Side Effects, Interactions

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February 10, 2012

Emtriva

HIV and AIDS: Antiretroviral Drugs, Treatments and Medications »

Entry Inhibitors (including Fusion Inhibitors) and CCR5 Co-receptor Antagonist

Entry Inhibitors
Entry inhibitors block HIV entry into CD4+ cells.

Fusion inhibitors
The only drug in this class is T-20, which is administered as a twice daily subcutaneous injection. The most common side effect is redness and pain at the site of injection. Rarely, infection can occur at the injection site. There also are reports of generalized allergic reactions.

CCR5 antagonist
Although there were some early concerns of liver inflammation for drugs in this class, MVC appeared to be well tolerated in clinical trials without any specific toxicities attributable to the drug. However, it is a new drug in a new class and the first to actually target the cell. For these reasons, longer follow-up from clinical trials and those followed in the clinic will be very important for assessing the overall safety of the...

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Emtriva

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EMTRIVA®
(emtricitabine)

WARNING

LACTIC ACIDOSIS/SEVERE HEPATOMEGALY WITH STEATOSIS and POST TREATMENT EXACERBATION OF HEPATITIS B

Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogs alone or in combination with other antiretrovirals [See WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].

EMTRIVA is not approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the safety and efficacy of EMTRIVA have not been established in patients coinfected with HBV and HIV-1. Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who have discontinued EMTRIVA. Hepatic function should be monitored closely with both clinical and laboratory follow-up for at least several months in patients who are coinfected with HIV-1 and HBV and discontinue EMTRIVA. If appropriate, initiation of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted [See WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].

DRUG DESCRIPTION

EMTRIVA is the brand name of emtricitabine, a synthetic nucleoside analog with activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase.

The chemical name of emtricitabine is 5-fluoro-1-(2R,5S)-[2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3oxathiolan-5-yl]cytosine. Emtricitabine is the (-) enantiomer of a thio analog of cytidine, which differs from other cytidine analogs in that it has a fluorine in the 5-position.

It has a molecular formula of C₈H₁₀FN₃O₃S and a molecular weight of 247.24. It has the following structural formula:

EMTRIVA® (emtricitabine) Structural Formula Illustration

Emtricitabine is a white to off-white powder with a solubility of approximately 112 mg/mL in water at 25 °C. The log P for emtricitabine is -0.43 and the pKa is 2.65.

EMTRIVA is available as capsules or as an oral solution.

EMTRIVA capsules are for oral administration. Each capsule contains 200 mg of emtricitabine and the inactive ingredients, crospovidone, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and povidone.

EMTRIVA oral solution is for oral administration. One milliliter (1 mL) of EMTRIVA oral solution contains 10 mg of emtricitabine in an aqueous solution with the following inactive ingredients: cotton candy flavor, FD&C yellow No. 6, edetate disodium, methylparaben, and propylparaben (added as preservatives), sodium phosphate (monobasic), propylene glycol, water, and xylitol (added as a sweetener). Sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid may be used to adjust pH.

What are the possible side effects of emtricitabine (Emtriva)?

Stop using emtricitabine and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction : hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Emtricitabine may cause lactic acidosis (a build-up of lactic acid in the body, which can be fatal). Lactic acidosis can start slowly and get worse over time. Get emergency medical help if you have even mild symptoms of lactic acidosis, such as:

muscle pain or weakness;
numb or cold feeling in your arms and legs;

Read All Potential Side Effects and See Pictures of Emtriva »

What are the precautions when taking emtricitabine (Emtriva)?

Before taking emtricitabine, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney problems, liver problems (such as hepatitis, cirrhosis), alcohol use.

Before having surgery, tell your doctors or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).

To decrease your risk of spreading HIV disease to others, always use an effective barrier method (latex or polyurethane condoms/dental dams) during all sexual activity. Consult...

Read All Potential Precautions of Emtriva »

Last reviewed on RxList: 12/8/2011
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.