Guides

nevirapine

1 April 2013. Related: ARVs, NNRTIs.

viramune
Nevirapine 200 mg

Nevirapine-PR (prolonged release) 400 mg

nav-VYE-a-peen or nav-VIR-a-peen

  • Nevirapine (tradename Viramune in Europe) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI).
  • During 2013 generic formulations of nevirapine may be used in the UK with will have a different brand name, a different pill size and shape and different packaging. The active ingredients will be just as effective as the original formulation.
  • There are two formulations: nevirapine (200 mg) and nevirapine prolonged release (400 mg).
  • In some countries nevirapine-PR is called nevirapine-XR (extended release)
  • When starting nevirapine as part of a first combination, nevirpaine needs a lead-in period where a lower dose (200 mg a day) is used for the first two weeks. Do not increase to the higher dose after two weeks if there is still evidence of a rash.
  • Standard adult dose after the first two weeks: EITHER 1 x 200 mg tablet twice daily OR 1 x 400 mg tablet once-daily. Once-daily dosing using 2 x 200 mg tablets is widely used but usually only once viral load has become undetectable using the twice-daily dose.
  • Nevirapine can be taken with or without food.
  • Side effects: rash and liver toxicity. These generally occur in the first 6-8 weeks. Your doctor needs to see any rash which in severe cases can be fatal. If you still have a rash after the first 2 weeks do not increase the dose.
  • Other notes: women with a CD4 count over 250 and men with a count over 400 should not start treatment with nevirapine. If your viral load is undetectable on another treatment, you can switch treatment to nevirapine at higher CD4 counts.

Further information

Information on rash and liver toxicity from the i-Base side effects guide.

The European patient information and detailed Product Information for nevirapine are available from this link on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) website.

The Patient Information is a simplified summary: what the drug is, why it is used, results from studies and cautions including side effects.

The Product Information is a detailed technical summary that you can access as a PDF file by clicking the ‘Product Information’ tab. It describes more precisely how the drug works and how it is processed by your body. This includes, for example, reported food interaction studies in terms of calories or fat content. It includes more details of the study results and a full list of side effects and drug interactions.