Main types of HIV drugs
There are six main types (or classes) of drugs that work at different parts of the HIV life cycle.
| Abbreviation | Full name(s) |
|---|---|
| NRTIs/NtRTIs (“nukes”) | nucleoside/tide reverse transcriptase inhibitors or nucleoside/tide analogues |
| NNRTIs (“non-nukes”) |
non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors |
| PIs | protease inhibitors |
| INIs (or INSTIs) | integrase (strand transfer) inhibitors |
| CCR5 inhibitors | CCR5 inhibitors are a type of entry inhibitor |
| mAbs | monoclonal antibodies – which also block entry to the CD4 cell |
| Fusion inhibitors | fusion inhibitors are a type of entry inhibitor |
There are more than 30 HIV drugs and formulations. Luckily, only a few combinations are commonly used.
See also: Figure 5: HIV life cycle – how drugs work in different ways.
Last updated: 1 October 2019.
