Tivicay

Maker: 
GlaxoSmithKline

Traditional dosage:
One 50 mg tablet, once daily for those new to integrase inhibitors or antiretroviral drugs; twice daily for those who take certain other antiretrovirals, have taken integrase inhibitors previously and may have resistance to such drugs, or are also taking rifampin, a drug that treats tuberculosis and other infections. Tivicay may be taken with or without food.

What it does:
Blocks integrase, an enzyme HIV needs to reproduce itself.

Drug interactions, precautions, & recommendations:
Do not take if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine that contains dolutegravir (Tivicay, Triumeq). Do not take with dofetilide (Tikosyn), oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine, or St. John’s Wort. Do not take with etravirine (Intelence) without coadministration of ritonavir (Norvir) and either atazanavir (Reyataz), darunavir (Prezista), or lopinavir (or Kaletra a combination of ritonavir and lopinavir). Take two hours before or six hours after antacids, laxatives, or other medicines that contain aluminum, magnesium, sucralfate (Carafate), or buffered medications. Multivitamins, oral iron, or calcium supplements may be taken at the same time if taken with food. If you are starting or stopping the diabetes drug metformin at the same time as Tivicay, you should be monitored closely; dosage of metformin may need to be adjusted. Take during pregnancy only if potential benefit outweighs risk.

Side effects:

Most serious: hypersensitivity reactions characterized by rash, constitutional findings, organ dysfunction (including liver injury); worsening of hepatitis B or C; accumulation or redistribution of body fat; immune system changes
Other: insomnia, nausea, headache