WHAT IS COMBIVIR?

WHAT IS COMBIVIR?

Combivir is a pill that contains two drugs used as part of antiretroviral therapy (ART): zidovudine (Retrovir, AZT) and lamivudine (Epivir, 3TC). Combivir is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. A generic version manufactured by Ranbaxy was approved in 2005 for sale outside the US.

The drugs in Combivir are called nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors, or nukes. These drugs block the reverse transcriptase enzyme. This enzyme changes HIV’s genetic material (RNA) into the form of DNA. This has to occur before HIV’s genetic code gets inserted into an infected cell’s own genetic codes.

WHO SHOULD TAKE COMBIVIR?

Combivir was approved in 1997 as an antiretroviral drug (ARV) for people with HIV infection. Combivir should not be used by children younger than 12 years old because the individual doses of zidovudine and lamivudine cannot be adjusted.

Some people with HIV had their hepatitis B get worse after they stopped taking lamivudine, a part of Combivir. Get tested for hepatitis B before you start taking Combivir to treat HIV. If you have hepatitis B and stop taking Combivir, your health care provider should carefully monitor your liver function for several months. See Fact Sheet 506 for an overview on hepatitis.

There are no absolute rules about when to start ART. You and your health care provider should consider your CD4 cell count, your viral load, any symptoms you are having, and your attitude about taking ART. has more information about guidelines for the use of ART.

If you take Combivir with other ARV drugs, you can reduce your viral load to extremely low levels, and increase your CD4 cell counts. This should mean staying healthier longer.

Children under 12 years old and people with kidney problems should not take Combivir.

Combivir provides two drugs in one pill. It can be more convenient to use Combivir than some other combinations of drugs. This could mean fewer missed doses and better control of HIV.