Combivir

Drugbox
type = combo
component1 = Lamivudine
class1 = Nucleotide analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor
component2 = Zidovudine
class2 = Nucleotide analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor
CAS_number =
ATC_prefix = J05
ATC_suffix = AR01
PubChem = 160352
DrugBank =
pregnancy_AU =
pregnancy_US = C
pregnancy_category=
legal_AU =
legal_CA =
legal_UK = POM
legal_US = Rx-only
legal_status =
routes_of_administration = Oral

Combivir is the brand name for 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, with the brand name Retrovir). The combination 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 GlaxoSmithKline.

External links

* [http://www.combivir.com/ Combivir website] operated by GlaxoSmithKline