Recently diagnosed with HIV? Click here

Lamivudine

jpg.png

Lamivudine (or 3TC) may be one of our earliest NRTIs but it is still a popular component of many regimens. In first-line therapy, when combined with another NRTI, it ranks second only to tenofovir/emtricitabine as the NRTI backbone of choice.

3TC is also active against hepatitis B and there is some evidence that it can penetrate the central nervous system, where it is active against HIV.

Lamivudine plus zidovudine remains as the preferred option for pregnant women. This dual-NRTI has the most safety and efficacy(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. data for both mother and newborn.

Generic name: lamivudine (3TC)
Pronunciation:la-MI-vyoo-deen
Brand name:Epivir
Drug class:nucleoside analogue
Pregnancy safe?Safe for use in pregnancy.
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;150 mg tablet;300mg tablet;10mg/mL, 240 mL oral solution;5mg/mL, 240 mL oral solution;
What the treatment guidelines say:Minimal toxicity. Lactic acidosis with hepatic steatosis (rare but potentially life-threatening toxicity with use of NRTIs)
Links:

Like most anti-HIV drugs, lamivudine must be taken in combination with other drugs to be completely effective. Commonly, lamivudine is combined with one other nucleoside (NRTI) drug and either a protease inhibitor or non-nucleoside, although other combinations are sometimes used. Your doctor will advise you on the right combination of drugs to suit your circumstances.

Dosage

The normal adult dose is one 150mg tablet taken twice a day or one 300mg tablet taken once a day.

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?

Lamivudine 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 nausea (upset stomach, feeling sick to the stomach), vomiting, headache, fatigue.
  • Less common side effects may include diarrhoea, rash, abdominal pain, insomnia, decreased appitite.
  • Rare side effects may include lipodystrophy, peripheral neuropathy, neutropenia, hair loss, anaemia, pancreatitis, increased liver enzymes.

    • 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

3TC should not be taken with intravenous foscarnet (Foscavir) or ganciclovir (Cymevene). People taking 3TC with hepatitis C treatments (interferon alfa or ribavirin) should be monitored for possible side effects such as liver problems. Zidovudine, nevirapine, monotrim, and septrin may increase the levels of 3TC but dosage adjustment is not necessary.
AttachmentSizeType
gwc3tctb10105.pdf35.34 KBgwc3tctb10105.pdfPDF

News and Treatments Briefs

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 21 December 2006
Positive women

HIV-related news in brief from the December 2006 edition of Positive Living. read more »

Getting spine: the nucleoside backbone

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 19 January 2006

Nucleoside analoguesA type of anti-HIV drug that works by inhibiting a stage of the HIV life cycle called reverse transcription. Non-nucleosides work in a similar way, but are chemically different. are the backbone of successful anti-HIV treatments. This article examines some of the issues involved in selecting the best nucleoside backbone. read more »

Kivexa available on PBS

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 8 December 2005

Kivexa, a new single-pill combination of the antiviralA medication or substance which is active against one or more virusesA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell.. May include anti-HIV drugs, but these are more accurately termed antiretroviralsA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV.. drugs abacavir (Ziagen) and lamivudine (3TC) became available for S100 prescription from 1 December. read more »

The power of one

Positive Living article • Paul Kidd • 15 December 2003

We all want simpler treatment regimens with fewer side effects and no meal restrictions, right? Well how does once-a-day treatment sound? As PAUL KIDD reports, it may be closer than you think. read more »

The table below shows all the clinical trials in the database with the keyword lamivudine (3TC).

Sorry, no clinical trials database entries were found that matched your request.

Syndicate content
Text size: font smallerfont normalfont larger print-friendly version of this pagePDF version of this pageemail this page to a friend

This Treatments database entry was first published on 22 May 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.

HIV Clinical Trials update

Recently updated entries from the NAPWA Clinical Trials database.

more