Biktarvy

Biktarvy is a prescription fixed‑dose combination antiretroviral medication used for the treatment of HIV‑1 infection. It combines three antiviral agents in a single tablet taken once daily: bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide. The formulation is designed to provide a complete regimen with convenient once‑daily dosing.

Bictegravir is an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) that blocks the integration of HIV DNA into the host genome, preventing viral replication. Emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide are nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) that inhibit HIV replication through different mechanisms. The tablet is generally taken with or without food and is formulated to reduce systemic exposure to tenofovir compared with older formulations, which can be associated with improved renal and bone safety profiles for many patients.

Indications for use include treatment of HIV‑1 infection in adults and certain pediatric patients who meet approved criteria. It is used as a complete regimen for initiating antiretroviral therapy and may be prescribed as a switch option for virologically suppressed patients under specific circumstances, according to regulatory guidance.

Administration and dosing are straightforward: one tablet once daily, with or without food. If a dose is missed, take it as soon as remembered unless there is less than 24 hours until the next dose; do not double dose. Patients should continue to take Biktarvy regularly and consult their clinician if doses are missed or if there are drug interactions.

Common adverse effects include diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, and headache. Serious but less frequent risks include lactic acidosis, hepatotoxicity, and renal impairment. Tenofovir alafenamide and the overall regimen may pose fewer bone and kidney risks compared with some earlier therapies, but renal function and bone health should be monitored. Drug interactions can occur with strong enzyme inducers like rifampin and with certain antacids or proton pump inhibitors; dofetilide is contraindicated with bictegravir-containing regimens.