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Delavirdine

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Delavirdine is an antiretroviralA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. drug from the non-nucleoside class. Like all anti-HIV drugs, it is designed to be taken in combination with other drugs.

Because of issues with effectiveness(Of a drug or treatment). The maximum ability of a drug or treatment to produce a result regardless of dosage. A drug passes efficacy trials if it is effective at the dose tested and against the illness for which it is prescribed. In the standard procedure, Phase II clinical trials gauge efficacy, and Phase III trials confirm it. and side effects, and because of its high pill burden and inconvenient dosing, delavirdine is no longer recommended as first-line treatment for HIV in Australia. If you are currently taking delavirdine you should continue to do so, however if you are concerned about side effects, dosing or effectiveness you should discuss this with your doctor.

Generic name: delavirdine (DLV)
Pronunciation:da-LA-ver-deen
Brand name:Rescriptor
Also known as:delavirdine mesylate (full generic name)
Drug class:non-nucleoside
Pediatric dosing?Available in doses suitable for children and/or young people.
Availability in Australia:
  • Available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) through S100 prescribers.
  • This drug may be available through clinical trials in Australia.
  • You may be able to import this drug from overseas for your personal use.
Presentation:100mg tablet.
What the treatment guidelines say:Delavirdine is not recommended for use in Australia as first-line therapy. The Australian treatment guidelines say:
[D]elavirdine is dosed three times daily, has the least supportive clinical trial data, and appears to have the least antiviral activity. As such, it is not recommended as part of an initial regimen…
Links:

Like most anti-HIV drugs, delavirdine must be taken in combination with other drugs to be completely effective. Commonly, delavirdine is combined with two nucleoside (NRTI) drugs, although other combinations are sometimes used. Your doctor will advise you on the right combination of drugs to suit your circumstances.

Dosage

The usual adult dose is four 100mg tablets, taken three times a day. Delavirdine can be taken with or without food, but must be taken at least one hour before or after taking antacid medicines such as Mylanta® or Gaviscon®.

Regardless of what you read on this website or elsewhere, you should always take your medications according to your doctor's instructions. If you're unsure, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

With or without food?

Delavirdine may be taken with or without food.

Side effects

All drugs can produce side effects in some people. These may be mild, moderate or severe, so you should be aware of potential side effects before starting any drug, and speak to your doctor if you experience side effects that concern you.

  • Common side effects may include rash.
  • Less common side effects may include nausea (upset stomach, feeling sick to the stomach), diarrhoea, headache, fatigue.
  • Rare side effects may include serious hypersensitivity reaction which may be life-threatening.

    • It's unlikely you will experience all of these side effects, and you may not experience any side effects at all. Before starting any new drug, ask your doctor about side effects you might experience and discuss strategies for dealing with side effects if they do occur. If you experience any significant side effect you should continue taking your medicine and see your doctor as soon as possible.

Interactions with other drugs

Delavirdine is broken down by the liver and can interact with other drugs that also use the liver. Combining these drugs can change the amount of each drug in your bloodstream and cause an under- or overdose. Drugs to watch out for include other ARVs, drugs to treat tuberculosis, for erectile dysfunction (such as Viagra), for heart rhythm (antiarrhythmics), and for migraine headaches. Interactions are also possible with several antihistamines (allergy medications), sedatives, drugs to lower cholesterol, and anti-fungal drugs. Blood levels of delavirdine may be decreased by ddI, antacids, rifabutin, and rifampin. Be sure to take delavirdine at least one hour apart from ddI or antacids. Delavirdine should not be combined with fosamprenavir. Delavirdine may increase the blood levels of methadone. Delavirdine can increase buprenorphine levels. Watch for signs of increased sedation. The herb St. John's Wort lowers the blood levels of some nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Do not take it with delavirdine.
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Consumer Medical Information (CMI) leaflet for delavirdine33.77 KBpfcresct10404.pdfPDF

Non-nukes

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 10 July 2006

Non-nucleosides are a powerful option for treating HIV, but cross-resistanceHIV which has mutated and is less susceptible to the effects of one or more anti-HIV drugs is said to be resistantHIV which has mutated and is less susceptible to the effects of one or more anti-HIV drugs is said to be resistant.. can mean you only get one bite of the cherry. This is the final instalment in a three-part series looking at key drug classesA group of anti-HIV drugs with the same target of action. Anti-HIV drug classes include nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitorsA type of anti-HIV drug that works by preventing the production of an enzyme, protease, that HIV needs to replicate. and non-nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors, as well as several others. Combining drugs from three or more classes is the basis of Highly Active AntiretroviralA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. Therapy (HAARTHighly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy ??? aggressive treatment of HIV infection using several different drugs together.).. read more »

The table below shows all the clinical trials in the database with the keyword delavirdine.

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This Treatments database entry was first published on 30 March 2009 — more than two years ago.

While the content of this treatments database entry was checked for accuracy at the time of publication, NAPWA recommends checking to determine whether the information is the most up-to-date available, especially when making decisions which may affect your health.

This article may contain medical information. NAPWA makes every reasonable effort to ensure the information on this website is accurate, reliable and up-to-date, including obtaining technical reviews by medically-qualified reviewers, however the authors of information on this website are not qualified to give medical advice, except where explicitly stated.

The content of this website is intended to support, not replace, the relationship between people living with HIV/AIDS and their medical advisers, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.

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