Is efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir (EFV+FTC+TDF, Viraday) effective?

A new formulation, efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir (EFV+FTC+TDF, Viraday), combines a fixed dose of the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor emtricitabine (2 00 mg) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (tenofovir DF; 300 mg) combined with the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor efavirenz (600 mg) represents the first once-daily, one-pill antiretroviral regimen.

In pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteers, co-formulated efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir was bioequivalent to the individual drugs when administered in combination. However, in a randomized, multicenter study, a once-daily regimen of efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir (administered alone) was superior to efavirenz plus a twice-daily coformulated lamivudine/zidovudine regimen in terms of virological suppression, immune recovery, and adverse events, a noninferiority study early in the treatment of HIV-infected patients. Preliminary data suggest that coformulated efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir, as individual formulations in combination with other antiretroviral drugs, is generally well tolerated. In pharmacokinetic studies involving combination formulations, central nervous system adverse events, primarily headache and dizziness, are the most common treatment-emergent drug-related adverse events.

Efavirenz/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir (Viraday) is not currently on the market in China, so it is not included in medical insurance. Patients cannot purchase it domestically and need to purchase it through overseas purchasing channels. The cheaper ones abroad are mainly Indian generic drugs, whose drug ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drugs. The price of each box of specifications (600MG+200MG+300MG)*30 may be more than 300 yuan (the price may fluctuate due to the exchange rate). For specific drug prices and drug information, please consult Yaode Medical Consultant.