Famciclovir

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Revision as of 17:37, 21 April 2026 by Aidan (talk | contribs) (Created page with "== Background == * Antiviral closely related to acyclovir * Oral prodrug to penciclovir, which is phosphorylated by viral thymidine kinase then by cellular kinases to its active triphosphate form inside of infected cells * Competitively inhibits DNA polymerase by competing with deoxyguanosing triphosphate, getting incorporate into the replicating DNA strand and halting further replication * Indicated for the treatment of herpes zoster virus and herpes simp...")
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Background

  • Antiviral closely related to acyclovir
  • Oral prodrug to penciclovir, which is phosphorylated by viral thymidine kinase then by cellular kinases to its active triphosphate form inside of infected cells
  • Competitively inhibits DNA polymerase by competing with deoxyguanosing triphosphate, getting incorporate into the replicating DNA strand and halting further replication
  • Indicated for the treatment of herpes zoster virus and herpes simplex virus
  • Formulations include 125 mg, 250 g, and 500 mg tablets

Dosage

  • VZV: 500 mg p.o. three times daily for 7 days, started within 3 days of rash onset
  • HSV:
    • Recurrent genital herpes: 125 mg p.o twice daily for 5 days
    • Suppression of recurrent genital herpes: 250 mg p.o. twice daily for up to 1 year
    • Recurrent mucocutaneous herpes in patients with HIV: 500 mg p.o. twice daily for 7 days

Renal Dosing

CrCl VZV Recurrent HSV Suppression of HSV Recurrent HSV in HIV
>60 500 mg q8h 125 mg q12h 250 mg q12h 500 q12h
40-59 500 q12h
20-39 500 q24h 125 mg q12h 500 mg q24h
<20 250 mg q24h 125 mg q24h 125 mg q24h 250 mg q24h
HD 250 mg after each dialysis 125 mg after each dialysis 125 mg after each dialysis 250 mg after each dialysis