What is Biktarvy?
Biktarvy is a medication used to treat HIV-1 infection in adults who have not received prior antiretroviral therapy or who have been suppressed on a stable antiretroviral regimen for at least six months with no history of treatment failure or resistance to any component of Biktarvy. It is a combination drug made up of three active ingredients: bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide.
Bictegravir is an integrase inhibitor, which means it prevents the virus from inserting its genetic material into the host cell. Emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide are both nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, which means they work by blocking the enzyme responsible for viral replication.
Biktarvy is taken orally once a day with or without food. It is important to take the medication at the same time each day to maintain a consistent level of drug in the bloodstream.
The most common side effects of Biktarvy include headache, diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue. However, most people who take Biktarvy experience few side effects. It is important to consult with a healthcare provider before taking Biktarvy to discuss any potential side effects and to ensure that Biktarvy is the appropriate treatment choice for a particular individual.
Overall, Biktarvy is an effective medication for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults that offers a simplified dosing regimen and a lower risk of developing resistance compared to other HIV medications.
Frequently Asked Questions about biktarvy
Works to Fight HIV-1
BIKTARVY® is a complete HIV-1 treatment that combines 3 powerful medicines into 1 small pill, taken once a day with or without food. BIKTARVY should not be taken with other HIV-1 medicines. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
Biktarvy is a new, highly active INSTI with both a high barrier to resistance and few drug - drug interactions. These advantages have allowed Biktarvy to quickly become a regimen of choice among HIV health care providers. Are Two Antibiotics Better Than One?
In 2016, bictegravir was in a Phase 3 trial as part of a single tablet regimen in combination with tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and emtricitabine (FTC) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection and the combination drug bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (Biktarvy) was approved for use in the United States in ...
Biktarvy has an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from a total of 188 reviews on Drugs.com. 55% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 22% reported a negative experience.
Biktarvy can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. These include a buildup of lactic acid in the blood (lactic acidosis), liver problems, new or worsening kidney problems, including kidney failure, and drug interactions.
Biktarvy only comes as a brand-name drug. It's not currently available in a generic version. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.
The cost for Biktarvy oral tablet (50 mg-200 mg-25 mg) is around $4,006 for a supply of 30 tablets, depending on the pharmacy you visit. Quoted prices are for cash-paying customers and are not valid with insurance plans.
In the European Union and the United States, Biktarvy is approved for use in children weighing at least 25kg, with reduced strength tablets available for children weighing between 14 and 25kg. It is not yet approved for use by children in the United Kingdom.
Gilead Sciences has developed a single tablet anti-HIV-1 medication (Biktarvy®) combining the novel integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) bictegravir with the nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide.
If you stop taking your HIV treatment, when these dormant cells wake up, HIV will start to make copies of itself again because there are no longer medications in your body to stop it. To prevent this and stay undetectable, you must continue to take your HIV treatments daily as prescribed by your health care provider.
Supplements or medicines that contain magnesium (Mg), Aluminum (Al), Calcium (Ca) and Iron (Fe) (including certain antacids, laxatives, sucralfate, and buffered medications). Decreased absorption and blood levels of bictegravir, which may lower effectiveness for HIV and cause viral resistance.
Typically a person taking BIKTARVY pays between $4 and $9 per month. Some state Medicaid programs offer even lower co-pays or eliminate co-pays altogether. For more information about co-pays in your state, or whether you qualify for Medicaid, click here. The list price of BIKTARVY is $3,795 per month.
Long-term viral suppression
Both 3-year and 5-year clinical study timepoints showed that most adults new to treatment taking BIKTARVY every day reached and stayed undetectable. Undetectable is when the amount of virus in your blood is below the level that can be measured in a lab test (less than 50 copies/mL).
The cost for Biktarvy oral tablet (50 mg-200 mg-25 mg) is around $4,006 for a supply of 30 tablets, depending on the pharmacy you visit. Quoted prices are for cash-paying customers and are not valid with insurance plans.
It combines 50mg of bictegravir, 200mg of emtricitabine and 25mg of tenofovir alafenamide.
Biktarvy Is a treatment for HIV infection, that contains three antiviral medicines emtricitabine, tenofovir alafenamide and bictegravir. Biktarvy starts reducing the HIV viral load in a little as 4 weeks and continues to decrease the levels over the first 3 to 6 months to usually become undetectable.
