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Emtricitabine / Tenofovir
Emtricitabine and tenofovir are nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors that block HIV replication by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for converting viral RNA into DNA.
Emtricitabine and tenofovir are nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors that block HIV replication by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for converting viral RNA into DNA. Used for HIV-1 infection (treatment), HIV-1 pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
At a glance
| Generic name | Emtricitabine / Tenofovir |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | The Miriam Hospital |
| Drug class | Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI/NtRTI) combination |
| Target | HIV reverse transcriptase |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Infectious Disease / Virology |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
Mechanism of action
Both drugs are antiretroviral agents that work by inhibiting HIV reverse transcriptase, an enzyme essential for viral replication. Emtricitabine is a cytidine nucleoside analog, while tenofovir is a nucleotide analog; both are incorporated into the growing viral DNA chain, causing chain termination and preventing the virus from replicating. This combination is commonly used as part of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens.
Approved indications
- HIV-1 infection (treatment)
- HIV-1 pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
Common side effects
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Renal impairment (tenofovir-associated)
- Bone density loss
- Lactic acidosis (rare)
Key clinical trials
- Spotting Syphilis: A Dual Point-of-Care Syphilis Screening Initiative in a Low-Resource Healthcare Setting (NA)
- A Clinical Study of Islatravir and Ulonivirine for People With HIV-1 Who Have Not Been Treated Before (MK-8591B-062) (PHASE2, PHASE3)
- Switch to Doravirine/Islatravir (DOR/ISL) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) Participants Treated With Bictegravir/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) (MK-8591A-018) (PHASE3)
- ImPrEP LEN Brasil: Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention (NA)
- Study of Bictegravir/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Fixed Dose Combination in Adolescents and Children With Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (PHASE2, PHASE3)
- A Study of MK-8527 to Prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) (MK-8527-010) (PHASE3)
- Study of Cobicistat-Boosted Atazanavir (ATV/co), Cobicistat-Boosted Darunavir (DRV/co) and Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide (F/TAF) in Children With HIV (PHASE2, PHASE3)
- A Clinical Study of MK-8527 to Prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) (MK-8527-011) (PHASE3)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Emtricitabine / Tenofovir CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Emtricitabine / Tenofovir updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- The Miriam Hospital portfolio CI