Prezcobix (darunavir ethanolate/cobicistat)

Antiviral-HIV (Antiretroviral) Protease Inhibitors Oral Tablet

Advertisement

Last reviewed · Source: First Databank (FDB) drug data

Overview

Darunavir, an antiretroviral agent, is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitor (PI).

Cobicistat is a mechanism-based inhibitor of cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A).

Darunavir ethanolate and cobicistat (darunavir/cobicistat) is a fixed-combination antiretroviral agent containing darunavir, a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) protease inhibitor, and cobicistat, a pharmacokinetic enhancer. Cobicistat, a mechanism-based cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 3A inhibitor, is included to increase plasma concentrations of darunavir and does not have intrinsic activity against HIV.

Darunavir, a nonpeptidic sulfonamide derivative, inhibits replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) by interfering with HIV protease. During HIV replication, HIV protease cleaves viral polypeptide products of the gag and gag-pol genes to form structural proteins of the virion core and essential viral enzymes. By interfering with the formation of these essential proteins and enzymes, darunavir blocks maturation of the virus and causes formation of nonfunctional, immature, noninfectious virions.

Darunavir-resistant HIV-1, including strains with decreased susceptibility to other HIV protease inhibitors (PIs), have been reported. Varying degrees of cross-resistance occurs among HIV PIs. Although some HIV-1 isolates resistant to atazanavir, indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, and/or tipranavir have remained susceptible to darunavir, some clinical isolates with reduced susceptibility to darunavir have been resistant to atazanavir, fosamprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, and nelfinavir.

Only limited cross-resistance appears to occur between tipranavir and darunavir.

Darunavir is extensively metabolized by the hepatic cytochrome P-450 (CYP) enzyme system, principally CYP3A, and must be administered with a pharmacokinetic enhancer (pharmacokinetic booster) to improve the pharmacokinetic profile of the drug. Darunavir should be administered with low-dose ritonavir (ritonavir-boosteddarunavir). Because ritonavir is a strong inhibitor of CYP3A, concomitant administration with darunavir results in increased peak plasma concentrations and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of the HIV PI.

The antiretroviral activity of ritonavir-boosted darunavir is due to darunavir.

Food increases oral bioavailability of darunavir. Compared with administration in the fasting state, administration of ritonavir-boosted darunavir (given as single-entity darunavir tablets and single-entity ritonavir) with food increases peak plasma concentrations and AUC of darunavir by approximately 40%. Darunavir has a half-life of 15 hours after administration of ritonavir-boosted darunavir.

The drug is eliminated principally in feces (80%) and urine (14%).

Darunavir and cobicistat (darunavir/cobicistat) is a fixed-dose combination antiretroviral agent containing darunavir and cobicistat. Darunavir is an inhibitor of the HIV-1 protease; the drug selectively inhibits the cleavage of HIV-1 encoded Gag-Pol polyproteins in infected cells, thereby preventing the formation of mature virus particles. Cobicistat is a selective, mechanism-based inhibitor of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 3A, enhancing the systemic exposure of CYP3A substrates.

Darunavir did not demonstrate antagonism when studied in combination with HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) including amprenavir, atazanavir, indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, or tipranavir; the nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) abacavir, didanosine, emtricitabine, lamivudine, stavudine, tenofovir, zalcitabine, or zidovudine, the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) delavirdine, efavirenz, etravirine, rilpivirine, or nevirapine, and the fusion inhibitor enfuvirtide. Cobicistat does not inhibit recombinant HIV-1 protease in a biochemical assay and has no detectable antiviral activity in cell culture against HIV-1. The resistance of darunavir/cobicistat is driven by darunavir; cobicistat does not select any HIV resistance substitutions due to its lack of antiviral activity.

Darunavir is primarily metabolized by CYP3A. Cobicistat inhibits CYP3A, thereby increasing the plasma concentrations of darunavir. When compared to fasted conditions, administration of darunavir/cobicistat (800 mg/150 mg) to healthy adult participants with a high-fat meal resulted in a 70% increase in AUC and a 127% increase in peak plasma concentrations of darunavir.

Cobicistat exposures were not affected by food. Darunavir is approximately 95% bound to plasma proteins; cobicistat is 97-98% bound to human plasma proteins. Darunavir primarily undergoes oxidative metabolism.

Darunavir is extensively metabolized by CYP enzymes, primarily by CYP3A. Cobicistat is metabolized by CYP3A and to a minor extent by CYP2D6 enzymes and does not undergo glucuronidation. Co-administration of darunavir with 100 mg ritonavir resulted in recovery of approximately 79.5% and 13.9% of the darunavir dose in feces and urine, respectively.

Unchanged darunavir comprised 41.2% (feces) and 7.7% (urine) of the dose. After a single cobicistat dose following 6 days of multiple dosing, 86.2% and 8.2% of the dose were recovered in feces and urine, respectively. Following single-dose administration of darunavir/cobicistat fixed-dose combination under fed conditions, the terminal half-life of darunavir was 7 hours.

The terminal half-life of cobicistat under fed conditions was 4 hours.

USES: This product is used with other HIV medications to help control HIV infection. It helps to decrease the amount of HIV in your body so your immune system can work better. This lowers your chance of getting HIV complications (such as new infections, cancer) and improves your quality of life.

This product is a combination of two different drugs: darunavir and cobicistat. Darunavir belongs to a class of drugs known as protease inhibitors. Cobicistat is used to increase ("boost") the levels of darunavir.

Darunavir/cobicistat is not a cure for HIV infection. To decrease your risk of spreading HIV disease to others, continue to take all HIV medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Use an effective barrier method (latex or polyurethane condoms/dental dams) during sexual activity as directed by your doctor.

Do not share personal items (such as needles/syringes, toothbrushes, and razors) that may have contacted blood or other body fluids. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

Generic name: darunavir ethanolate/cobicistat
Pronunciation: (dar-UE-na-vir/koe-BIK-i-stat)
Drug class: Antiviral-HIV (Antiretroviral) Protease Inhibitors
Therapeutic class: Anti-Infective Agents

Reference product & biosimilars

No reference, biosimilar or interchangeable associated with this drug.

Today’s intelligence on Prezcobix

Intelligence content is not available yet.

Indications

The following indications are listed for Prezcobix:

  • Hiv Infection

Also known as: Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

Dosing

Single-entity darunavir is commercially available as an oral suspension and tablets containing darunavir ethanolate; dosage is expressed in terms of darunavir.

It is essential that the manufacturer's labeling be consulted for more detailed information on dosage and administration of this drug. Dosage summary:

*Cobicistat must be coadministered with atazanavir or darunavir at the same time, with food, and with additional HIV-1 antiretroviral agents.

*Recommended dosage (see Table):

Table. Recommended Cobicstat Dosage.

Cobicistat Dosage Coadministered Agent Patient Populations Dosage 150 mg orally once daily Atazanavir: 300 mg Treatment-naive or orally once daily treatment-experienced 150 mg orally once daily Darunavir: 800 mg orally Treatment-naive or once daily treatment-experienced with no darunavir-associated resistance substitutions

*Prior to starting cobicistat, assess estimated creatinine clearance.

*If used in regimens that contain tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (tenofovir DF), assess estimated creatinine clearance, urine glucose, and urine protein at baseline. Coadministration with tenofovir DF is not recommended in patients who have an estimated creatinine clearance below 70 mL/min because dose adjustment of tenofovir DF is required below 50 mL/min and such dose adjustments have not been established for coadministration with cobicistat.

The darunavir component of darunavir/cobicistat is commercially available as darunavir ethanolate; dosage is expressed in terms of darunavir.

Drug interactions

Darunavir must be used with a pharmacokinetic enhancer (i.e., low-dose ritonavir); drug interactions associated with both darunavir and the pharmacokinetic enhancer should be considered.

Contraindications

*Concomitant use of ritonavir-boosted darunavir with drugs highly dependent on cytochrome P-450 (CYP) isoenzyme CYP3A for metabolism and for which elevated plasma concentrations are associated with serious and/or life-threatening events.

*Examples of drugs contraindicated for administration with ritonavir-boosted darunavir include: alfuzosin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, colchicine in patients with renal or hepatic impairment, rifampin, lurasidone, pimozide, dronedarone, ivabradine, ranolazine, dihydroergotamine (DHE), ergotamine, methylergonovine, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), the fixed combination of elbasvir and grazoprevir (elbasvir/grazoprevir), lomitapide, lovastatin, simvastatin, naloxegol, orally administered midazolam and triazolam, and sildenafil (Revatio(R)) for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Coadministration with certain drugs for which altered plasma concentrations are associated with serious and/or life-threatening events or loss of therapeutic effect.

*Concomitant use with drugs that are highly dependent on cytochrome P-450 (CYP) isoenzyme 3A for clearance and for which increased plasma concentrations are associated with serious and/or life-threatening events.

*Examples of drugs that are contraindicated for administration with darunavir and cobicistat (darunavir/cobicistat) include: alfuzosin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, colchicine, in patients with renal and/or hepatic impairment, rifampin, lurasidone, pimozide, dronedarone, ivabradine, ranolazine, dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, methylergonovine, St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), the fixed combination of elbasvir and grazoprevir (elbasvir/grazoprevir), lomitapide, lovastatin, simvastatin, naloxegol, sildenafil when used for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, orally administered midazolam, and triazolam.

Adverse reactions

Adverse effects of at least moderate intensity (greater than or equal to Grade 2) reported in more than 5% of patients receiving ritonavir-boosted darunavir in conjunction with other antiretrovirals are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, and rash.

The most common adverse drug reactions observed with cobicistat coadministered with atazanavir (incidence greater than 5%, Grades 2-4) are jaundice and rash.

The most common adverse reactions to darunavir (>=5%), of at least moderate severity (>=Grade 2), were diarrhea, nausea, rash, headache, abdominal pain, and vomiting.

Precautions

No enhanced messaging available.

ICD codes

CodeTypeDescription
HIV infection
B20ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease
B97.35ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus, type 2 [HIV 2] as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere
O98.7ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
O98.71ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease complicating pregnancy
O98.711ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease complicating pregnancy, first trimester
O98.712ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease complicating pregnancy, second trimester
O98.713ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease complicating pregnancy, third trimester
O98.719ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease complicating pregnancy, unspecified trimester
O98.72ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease complicating childbirth
O98.73ICD10CMHuman immunodeficiency virus [HIv] disease complicating the puerperium
Z21ICD10CMAsymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus [HIv] infection status

ICD code information from First Databank (FDB).

Formulary status

Search health-plan coverage for this drug by ZIP code.

Enter a ZIP code to view available health plans.

Last reviewed · Source: First Databank (FDB) drug data