Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: FAMVIR versus INCIVEK.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: FAMVIR versus INCIVEK.
FAMVIR vs INCIVEK
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Famciclovir is a prodrug that is rapidly converted to penciclovir, which inhibits viral DNA polymerase by competing with deoxyguanosine triphosphate, thereby inhibiting viral DNA synthesis and replication.
Inhibitor of the HCV NS3/4A serine protease, preventing cleavage of the HCV polyprotein, thereby inhibiting viral replication.
250 mg orally three times daily for 7 days for herpes zoster; 125 mg orally twice daily for 5 days for recurrent genital herpes; 250 mg orally twice daily for 7 days for first-episode genital herpes; 500 mg orally twice daily for 7 days for herpes zoster in immunocompromised patients; 500 mg orally twice daily for 7 days for recurrent mucocutaneous herpes in HIV patients.
Incivek (telaprevir) is administered orally at a dose of 750 mg (two 375 mg tablets) three times daily (every 7-9 hours) with food (not low-fat).
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal elimination half-life of penciclovir is approximately 2–3 hours in patients with normal renal function; extends to 9–18 hours in severe renal impairment (CrCl <30 mL/min).
Terminal elimination half-life ranges from 4 to 13 hours (mean ~7 hours) in healthy volunteers; prolonged to 10-20 hours in HCV-infected patients.
Renal: 60–70% as penciclovir via tubular secretion and glomerular filtration; fecal: <10%; biliary: <1%.
Approximately 91% of the radiolabeled dose is recovered in feces (79% as unchanged drug) and 9% in urine (1% as unchanged drug).
Category C
Category C
Antiviral
Antiviral