Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Cimduo
  2. Temixys

Descriptions


Lamivudine and tenofovir combination is used together with other antiviral medicines to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. HIV is the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

This medicine does not cure or prevent HIV or AIDS. It helps keep HIV from reproducing and appears to slow down the destruction of the immune system. This may help delay the development of problems that usually result from AIDS or HIV disease. It will not keep you from spreading HIV to other people. People who receive this medicine may continue to have some of the problems usually related to AIDS or HIV disease.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Tablet

Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of lamivudine and tenofovir combination in children weighing 35 kilograms (kg) or more. Safety and efficacy have been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of lamivudine and tenofovir combination in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution in patients receiving lamivudine and tenofovir combination.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Aceclofenac
  • Acemetacin
  • Amtolmetin Guacil
  • Aspirin
  • Atazanavir
  • Atidarsagene Autotemcel
  • Bromfenac
  • Bufexamac
  • Cabotegravir
  • Celecoxib
  • Choline Salicylate
  • Clonixin
  • Dexibuprofen
  • Dexketoprofen
  • Diclofenac
  • Didanosine
  • Diflunisal
  • Dipyrone
  • Droxicam
  • Etodolac
  • Etofenamate
  • Etoricoxib
  • Felbinac
  • Fenoprofen
  • Fepradinol
  • Feprazone
  • Floctafenine
  • Flufenamic Acid
  • Flurbiprofen
  • Horsetail
  • Ibuprofen
  • Indomethacin
  • Itraconazole
  • Ketoprofen
  • Ketorolac
  • Ledipasvir
  • Lornoxicam
  • Loxoprofen
  • Lumiracoxib
  • Meclofenamate
  • Mefenamic Acid
  • Meloxicam
  • Methadone
  • Morniflumate
  • Nabumetone
  • Naproxen
  • Nepafenac
  • Niflumic Acid
  • Nimesulide
  • Nimesulide Beta Cyclodextrin
  • Orlistat
  • Oxaprozin
  • Oxyphenbutazone
  • Parecoxib
  • Phenylbutazone
  • Piketoprofen
  • Piroxicam
  • Pranoprofen
  • Proglumetacin
  • Propyphenazone
  • Proquazone
  • Rofecoxib
  • Salicylic Acid
  • Salsalate
  • Sodium Salicylate
  • Sorbitol
  • Sulindac
  • Tacrolimus
  • Tenoxicam
  • Tiaprofenic Acid
  • Tolfenamic Acid
  • Tolmetin
  • Valdecoxib

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Darunavir
  • Lopinavir
  • Nirmatrelvir
  • Ritonavir
  • Tipranavir

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Bone problems (eg, fractures, osteoporosis), history of or
  • Fanconi syndrome (kidney disease), history of or
  • Hepatitis B infection, history of or
  • Kidney failure, acute or
  • Liver disease or
  • Pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas), history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
  • End-stage kidney disease or
  • Kidney disease, severe—Use is not recommended in patients with these conditions.

Proper Use

Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Do not stop using this medicine without checking first with your doctor. When your supply of this medicine is running low, contact your doctor or pharmacist ahead of time. Do not allow yourself to run out of this medicine.

You may take this medicine with or without food.

Keep taking this medicine for the full time of treatment even if you begin to feel better. If you stop the medicine even briefly, the virus may become harder to treat.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For oral dosage form (tablets):
    • For treatment of HIV infection:
      • Adults and children weighing 35 kilograms (kg) or more—1 tablet once a day. This medicine contains 300 mg lamivudine and 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (equivalent to 245 mg tenofovir disoproxil).
      • Children weighing less than 35 kg—Use is not indicated in these patients.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Store the medicine in its original bottle and keep it tightly closed.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check you and your child's progress at regular visits, especially during the first few weeks that you take this medicine. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.

Do not take Temixys™ together with adefovir (Hepsera®).

Two rare but serious reactions to this medicine are lactic acidosis (too much acid in the blood) and liver toxicity. Call your doctor right away if you or child have abdominal or stomach discomfort, cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or a decreased appetite, muscle cramping or pain, unusual tiredness or weakness, trouble breathing, or yellow skin or eyes.

This medicine may cause a hepatitis B infection to worsen if you stop using it. Your doctor may check for the presence of hepatitis B before and during treatment with this medicine and for at least several months after your last dose.

This medicine may increase the risk of kidney problems. To lower this risk, avoid other medicines that can be harmful to the kidneys such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, certain other antiviral medicines, and NSAID pain medicines.

Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have loss of appetite, nausea, or pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back. These could be symptoms of pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas).

This medicine may also increase your or your child's risk of developing fractures (broken bones). Ask your doctor about this if you have any concerns.

Your immune system may get stronger when you start using HIV medicines. Tell your doctor right away if you notice any changes in your health. Sometimes the immune system will start to fight infections that were hidden in your body, such as pneumonia, herpes, or tuberculosis. Autoimmune disorders (eg, Graves' disease, polymyositis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome) may also occur.

This medicine may cause you to have excess body fat. Tell your doctor if you notice changes in your body shape, such as an increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck, or around the chest and stomach area. You might also lose fat from the legs, arms, and face.

This medicine does not decrease the risk of transmitting the HIV infection to others through sexual contact or by contaminated blood. Make sure you understand and practice safe sex, even if your partner also has HIV. Avoid sharing needles with anyone.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal (St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

  1. Fever
  2. pain
  3. stomach pain

Less common

  1. Chest pain
  2. chills
  3. cough
  4. difficulty in moving
  5. joint pain or swelling
  6. muscle ache, cramp, pain, or stiffness
  7. sneezing
  8. sore throat
  9. tightness in the chest
  10. troubled breathing

Incidence not known

  1. Bloating
  2. bloody urine
  3. blurred vision
  4. bone fractures, especially of the femur
  5. bone pain
  6. cloudy urine
  7. constipation
  8. dark urine
  9. decreased appetite
  10. decreased frequency or amount of urine
  11. diarrhea
  12. difficulty swallowing
  13. dizziness
  14. dry mouth
  15. fast heartbeat
  16. fast, shallow breathing
  17. flushed, dry skin
  18. frequent urination
  19. fruit-like breath odor
  20. general feeling of discomfort
  21. hives, itching, skin rash
  22. increased blood pressure
  23. increased hunger
  24. increased thirst
  25. increased urination
  26. increased volume of pale, dilute urine
  27. indigestion
  28. irregular heartbeat
  29. large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or genitals
  30. light-colored stools
  31. loss of appetite
  32. lower back or side pain
  33. mood changes
  34. muscle weakness
  35. nausea
  36. numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
  37. pains in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
  38. pale skin
  39. puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  40. seizures
  41. sleepiness
  42. stomach discomfort
  43. sweating
  44. swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs
  45. troubled breathing with exertion
  46. unexplained weight loss
  47. unusual bleeding or bruising
  48. unusual tiredness or weakness
  49. upper right abdominal or stomach pain
  50. vomiting
  51. weight gain
  52. yellow eyes or skin

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

  1. Anxiety
  2. back pain
  3. belching
  4. burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations
  5. discouragement
  6. feeling sad or empty
  7. headache
  8. heartburn
  9. indigestion
  10. irritability
  11. lack or loss of strength
  12. loss of interest or pleasure
  13. redistribution or accumulation of body fat
  14. stomach upset
  15. tiredness
  16. trouble concentrating
  17. trouble sleeping
  18. unsteadiness or awkwardness
  19. weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet

Incidence not known

  1. Hair loss or thinning of hair

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Portions of this document last updated: May 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/lamivudine-and-tenofovir-oral-route/description/drg-20421691