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Letermovir IV
Letermovir inhibits the viral terminase enzyme of cytomegalovirus (CMV), preventing viral DNA packaging and replication.
Letermovir inhibits the viral terminase enzyme of cytomegalovirus (CMV), preventing viral DNA packaging and replication. Used for CMV prophylaxis in CMV-seronegative recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant from CMV-seropositive donors, CMV infection and disease in immunocompromised patients (treatment).
At a glance
| Generic name | Letermovir IV |
|---|---|
| Also known as | MK-8228, PREVYMIS® |
| Sponsor | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC |
| Drug class | CMV terminase inhibitor |
| Target | CMV UL56 terminase |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Infectious Disease / Virology |
| Phase | Phase 3 |
Mechanism of action
Letermovir is a first-in-class CMV terminase inhibitor that blocks the UL56 terminase protein, which is essential for packaging CMV DNA into virions. By inhibiting this viral enzyme, the drug prevents the formation of infectious CMV particles and reduces viral replication in infected cells. This mechanism is distinct from nucleoside analogs and allows for use in prophylaxis and treatment of CMV infection.
Approved indications
- CMV prophylaxis in CMV-seronegative recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant from CMV-seropositive donors
- CMV infection and disease in immunocompromised patients (treatment)
Common side effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Hypokalemia
- Hypomagnesemia
Key clinical trials
- A Vaccine (CMV-MVA Triplex Vaccine) for the Enhancement of CMV-Specific Immunity and the Prevention of CMV Viremia in Patients Undergoing Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (PHASE1)
- A Study of the Drug Letermovir as Prevention of Cytomegalovirus Infection After Stem Cell Transplant in Pediatric Patients (PHASE3)
- A Study of the Drug Letermovir (LTV) as Prevention for Recurrent of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection (PHASE2)
- Letermovir for CMV Prevention After Lung Transplantation (PHASE2)
- A Study of Letermovir (MK-8228) to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety for Prevention of Cytomegalovirus Infection in Chinese Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients (MK-8228-045) (PHASE3)
- Letermovir for the Prevention of Cytomegalovirus Reactivation in Patients With Hematological Malignancies Treated With Alemtuzumab (PHASE2)
- Letermovir Prophylaxis for CMV Infection in Haplo-HSCT Recipients: Single-center Data in China
- MK-8228 (Letermovir) in the Prevention of Human Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection and Disease in Adult Japanese Kidney Transplant Recipients (MK-8228-042) (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:
- Letermovir IV CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Letermovir IV updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC portfolio CI