Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ABACAVIR LAMIVUDINE versus EMTRICITABINE.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ABACAVIR LAMIVUDINE versus EMTRICITABINE.
ABACAVIR; LAMIVUDINE vs EMTRICITABINE
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Abacavir is a carbocyclic synthetic nucleoside analogue (guanosine analogue) that is phosphorylated intracellularly to carbovir triphosphate, which competes with deoxyguanosine triphosphate for incorporation into viral DNA by HIV reverse transcriptase, leading to chain termination. Lamivudine is a synthetic nucleoside analogue (cytosine analogue) that is phosphorylated intracellularly to lamivudine triphosphate, which competes with deoxycytidine triphosphate for incorporation into viral DNA by HIV reverse transcriptase, causing chain termination.
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor; phosphorylated to emtricitabine triphosphate which competes with endogenous deoxycytidine triphosphate and incorporates into viral DNA causing chain termination.
One tablet (abacavir 600 mg/lamivudine 300 mg) orally once daily with or without food. Can be used in combination with other antiretrovirals.
200 mg orally once daily, typically in combination with other antiretroviral agents.
None Documented
None Documented
Clinical Note
moderateEmtricitabine + Ribavirin
"Emtricitabine may increase the hepatotoxic activities of Ribavirin."
Clinical Note
moderateLamivudine + Emtricitabine
"The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Lamivudine is combined with Emtricitabine."
Clinical Note
moderateGanciclovir + Emtricitabine
"The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Ganciclovir is combined with Emtricitabine."
Clinical Note
moderateValganciclovir + Emtricitabine
Abacavir: 1.5 hr (single dose) to 2 hr (steady state), clinically short requiring twice-daily dosing. Lamivudine: 5-7 hr (adults), extended in renal impairment (up to 20 hr with CrCl <50 mL/min).
Terminal elimination half-life is approximately 10 hours (range 8–12 hours) in adults with normal renal function; prolonged to >20 hours in severe renal impairment (CrCl <30 mL/min).
Abacavir: 83% renal (1.2% unchanged, rest as metabolites), 16% fecal. Lamivudine: ~70% renal (mostly unchanged via tubular secretion), ~5% fecal.
Renal: approximately 86% of the dose is excreted unchanged in urine via glomerular filtration and active tubular secretion. Biliary/fecal: minimal (<14% as unchanged drug and metabolites in feces).
Category A/B
Category C
NRTI
Antiretroviral, NRTI
"The risk or severity of adverse effects can be increased when Valganciclovir is combined with Emtricitabine."