- WHAT IS DELAVIRDINE?
- WHO SHOULD TAKE IT?
- WHAT ABOUT DRUG RESISTANCE?
- HOW IS IT TAKEN?
- WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?
- HOW DOES IT REACT WITH OTHER DRUGS?
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PrintDelavirdine is a drug used for antiviral
therapy. It is also called Rescriptor®. Pharmacia &
Upjohn developed it. Agouron Pharmaceuticals is marketing it.
It is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (a “non-nuke”
or NNRTI). These drugs stop HIV from multiplying by preventing
the reverse transcriptase enzyme from working. This enzyme changes
HIV’s genetic material (RNA) into DNA. This has to occur before
HIV’s genetic code gets combined with an infected cell’s genetic
codes.
IT?
Delavirdine was approved as an antiviral drug for people with
HIV infection. There are no absolute rules about when to start
antiviral drugs. You and your doctor should consider your T-cell
count, your viral load, any symptoms you are having, and your
attitude about taking HIV medications. Fact
Sheet 411 has more information about guidelines
for the use of antiviral medications.
If you take delavirdine with other antiviral drugs, you can
reduce your viral load to extremely low levels, and increase your
T-cell counts. This should mean staying healthier longer.
RESISTANCE?
Many new copies of HIV are mutations. They are slightly different
from the original virus. Some mutations can keep multiplying
even when you are taking an antiviral drug. When this happens,
the drug will stop working. This is called “developing resistance”
to the drug. See Fact Sheet 414
for more information on resistance.
Sometimes, if your virus develops resistance to one drug, it
will also have resistance to other antiviral drugs. This is called
“cross-resistance”. Cross-resistance among NNRTIs develops
very easily. If you develop resistance to one NNRTI, you probably
won’t be able to use any of them in your antiviral therapy.
Resistance can develop quickly. It is very important to
take antiviral medications according to instructions, on schedule,
and not to skip or reduce doses.
HOW
IS IT TAKEN?
Delavirdine is available in pills of 100 milligrams (mg) or
200 mg. The recommended dose for adults is 400 mg three times
a day. This would be a daily total of 6 of the 200 mg pills, or
12 of the 100 mg pills. You can dissolve the 100 mg pills (but
not the 200 mg pills) in water to make them easier to swallow.
Delavirdine can be taken with or without food.
SIDE EFFECTS?
When you start any antiviral treatment, you may have temporary
side effects such as headaches, hypertension, or just feeling
ill. These side effects usually get better or disappear over time.
The most common side effect is a skin rash, which develops
in about 25 percent of people taking the drug. The risk of the
rash can be reduced if you start taking the drug at a lower dose
and then increase to the full dose.
HOW
DOES IT REACT 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 several
antihistamines, sedatives, and anti-fungal drugs. Make sure that
your doctor knows about ALL drugs you are taking.
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 makes the liver work slower. This increases the
blood levels of most protease inhibitors. There is very little
specific information about combining delavirdine with protease
inhibitors.
Revised February
7, 2002
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