Advertisement

Nucleoside/Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)

When HIV infects a CD4 cell in a person's body, it copies its own genetic code into the cell's DNA. In this way, the cell is then "programmed" to create new copies of HIV. HIV's genetic material is in the form of RNA. In order for it to infect CD4 cells, it must first convert its RNA into DNA. HIV's reverse transcriptase enzyme is needed to perform this process.

NRTIs, sometimes called "nucleoside analogues" or "nukes," contain faulty versions of the building blocks (nucleotides) used by reverse transcriptase to convert RNA to DNA. When reverse transcriptase uses these faulty building blocks, the new DNA cannot be built correctly. In turn, HIV's genetic material cannot be incorporated into the healthy genetic material of the cell and prevents the cell from producing new virus.

While nucleotide analogues (Viread is the only nucleotide analogue approved at this time) are technically different than nucleoside analogues, they act very much the same way. In order for nucleoside analogues to work, they must undergo chemical changes (phosphorylation) to become active in the body. Nucleotide analogues bypass this step, given that they are already chemically activated.

*generic or biosimilar available

E experimental


DRUG Cimduo*
GENERIC NAME lamivudine + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
COMPANY Mylan Pharmaceuticals
DRUG Combivir*
GENERIC NAME zidovudine + lamivudine
COMPANY ViiV Healthcare
DRUG Descovy
Decovy Tablet
GENERIC NAME tenofovir alafenamide fumarate + emtricitabine
COMPANY Gilead Sciences
DRUG Emtriva
GENERIC NAME emtricitabine
COMPANY Gilead Sciences
DRUG Epivir*
GENERIC NAME lamivudine
COMPANY ViiV Healthcare
DRUG Epzicom*
GENERIC NAME abacavir + lamivudine
COMPANY ViiV Healthcare
DRUG Retrovir*
GENERIC NAME zidovudine
COMPANY ViiV Healthcare
DRUG Temixys*
Temixys
GENERIC NAME tenofovir disoproxil fumarate + lamivudine
COMPANY Celltrion
DRUG Trizivir
GENERIC NAME abacavir + zidovudine + lamivudine
COMPANY ViiV Healthcare
DRUG Truvada*
GENERIC NAME tenofovir disoproxil fumarate + emtricitabine
COMPANY Gilead Sciences
DRUG Videx EC*
GENERIC NAME didanosine
COMPANY Bristol-Myers Squibb
DRUG Viread*
GENERIC NAME tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
COMPANY Gilead Sciences
DRUG Zerit*
GENERIC NAME stavudine
COMPANY Bristol-Myers Squibb
DRUG Ziagen*
GENERIC NAME abacavir
COMPANY ViiV Healthcare
DRUG islatravir
GENERIC NAME islatravir
COMPANY Merck & Company

Last Reviewed: March 14, 2019


Advertisement

Hot topics


POZ uses cookies to provide necessary website functionality, improve your experience, analyze our traffic and personalize ads. Our Privacy Policy

Manage

POZ uses cookies to provide necessary website functionality, improve your experience, analyze our traffic and personalize ads. By remaining on our website, you indicate your consent to our Privacy Policy and our Cookie Usage.