Famciclovir Explained

Famciclovir is a guanosine analogue antiviral drug used for the treatment of various herpesvirus infections, most commonly for herpes zoster (shingles). It is a prodrug form of penciclovir with improved oral bioavailability. Famciclovir is marketed under the trade name Famvir (Novartis).

Famciclovir was patented in 1983 and approved for medical use in 1994.[1] [2] In 2007, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic version of famciclovir. Generic tablets are manufactured by TEVA Pharmaceuticals and Mylan Pharmaceuticals.[3] [4]

Medical uses

Famciclovir is indicated for the treatment of herpes zoster (shingles),[5] treatment of herpes simplex virus 2 (genital herpes),[6] herpes labialis (cold sores) in immunocompetent patients[7] and for the suppression of recurring episodes of herpes simplex virus 2. It is also indicated for treatment of recurrent episodes of herpes simplex in HIV patients.

Adverse effects

Side effects: mild to extreme stomach upset, headaches, mild fever.

Herpes

Early treatment

Several studies in humans and mice provide evidence that early treatment with famciclovir soon after the first infection with herpes can significantly lower the chance of future outbreaks. Use of famciclovir in this manner has been shown to reduce the amount of latent virus in the neural ganglia compared to no treatment or treatment with valaciclovir.[8] [9] [10] A review of human subjects treated for five days with famciclovir 250 mg three times daily during their first herpes episode found that only 4.2 percent experienced a recurrence within six months after the first outbreak, a fivefold decrease compared to the 19 percent recurrence in acyclovir-treated patients.[11] Neither drug affected latency if treatment was delayed for several months.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG . Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Disease. 2012. Elsevier Health Sciences. 978-1437727029. 1502 .
  2. Book: Fischer J, Ganellin CR . Analogue-based Drug Discovery . 2006 . John Wiley & Sons . 9783527607495 . 504 . en.
  3. Web site: Recent Product Launches, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA. 2008-02-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20111108014430/http://www.tevausa.com/default.aspx?pageid=75. 2011-11-08. dead.
  4. Mylan Launches Generic Version of Famvir® Tablets . Mylan . 20 April 2011 . 21 April 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110723062658/http://investor.mylan.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=570428 . July 23, 2011 .
  5. Tyring S, Barbarash RA, Nahlik JE, Cunningham A, Marley J, Heng M, Jones T, Rea T, Boon R, Saltzman R . 6 . Famciclovir for the treatment of acute herpes zoster: effects on acute disease and postherpetic neuralgia. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Collaborative Famciclovir Herpes Zoster Study Group . Annals of Internal Medicine . 123 . 2 . 89–96 . July 1995 . 7778840 . 10.7326/0003-4819-123-2-199507150-00002 . 35498460 .
  6. Luber AD, Flaherty JF . Famciclovir for treatment of herpesvirus infections . The Annals of Pharmacotherapy . 30 . 9 . 978–85 . September 1996 . 8876860 . 10.1177/106002809603000913 . 27057728 .
  7. Spruance SL, Bodsworth N, Resnick H, Conant M, Oeuvray C, Gao J, Hamed K . Single-dose, patient-initiated famciclovir: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for episodic treatment of herpes labialis . Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology . 55 . 1 . 47–53 . July 2006 . 16781291 . 10.1016/j.jaad.2006.02.031 .
  8. Thackray AM, Field HJ . The effects of antiviral therapy on the distribution of herpes simplex virus type 1 to ganglionic neurons and its consequences during, immediately following and several months after treatment . The Journal of General Virology . 81 . Pt 10 . 2385–2396 . October 2000 . 10993926 . 10.1099/0022-1317-81-10-2385 . free .
  9. Thackray AM, Field HJ . Famciclovir and valaciclovir differ in the prevention of herpes simplex virus type 1 latency in mice: a quantitative study . Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy . 42 . 7 . 1555–62 . July 1998 . 9660982 . 105644 . 10.1128/AAC.42.7.1555.
  10. Thackray AM, Field HJ . Persistence of infectious herpes simplex virus type 2 in the nervous system in mice after antiviral chemotherapy . Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy . 44 . 1 . 97–102 . January 2000 . 10602729 . 89634 . 10.1128/aac.44.1.97-102.2000 .
  11. Web site: Observation May Indicate A Possible Clinical Effect On Latency . Doctor's Guide Publishing Limited . https://web.archive.org/web/20120216215210/http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/D29E.htm . 2012-02-16 .
  12. Thackray AM, Field HJ . Differential effects of famciclovir and valaciclovir on the pathogenesis of herpes simplex virus in a murine infection model including reactivation from latency . The Journal of Infectious Diseases . 173 . 2 . 291–9 . February 1996 . 8568288 . 10.1093/infdis/173.2.291 . free .

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