Descovy for HIV: Dosage, side effects, and more
Descovy is available as an oral tablet. Each Descovy tablet contains two medications, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide, both of which belong to a drug class called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). The medication is not available in a generic version.
Read on for more information about Descovy.
Descovy has boxed warnings. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For details, see the “Before taking Descovy” section.
Descovy is approved for treating HIV-1 in adults, as well as certain children.
HIV-1 is the most common type of HIV, a virus that attacks the immune system and destroys white blood cells. HIV specifically targets CD4+ T cells (a type of immune system cell), using these cells to make more copies of HIV and spread through the body. This damages the immune system, increasing the risk for infection and some types of cancer.
HIV is transmitted through body fluids such as semen, blood, and breast milk (but not saliva).
Although there’s currently no cure for HIV, antiretroviral medications such as Descovy can manage HIV by maintaining an undetectable viral load. Undetectable equals untransmittable, meaning the risk for transmitting HIV is effectively zero when a person with HIV maintains an undetectable viral load. Maintaining an undetectable viral load also helps people with HIV live long, healthy lives.
In addition to treating HIV, Descovy is also approved for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in certain people. To learn more about Descovy for PrEP, check out this Descovy for PrEP article.
You can learn more about HIV at our HIV content hub.
Symptoms of HIV often develop about 2-4 weeks after infection, although research suggests it may take as long as 10 months in some individuals.
It’s important to note that these symptoms are not specific to HIV. An HIV test is required for a definitive diagnosis.
For treating HIV, Descovy is prescribed to adults in combination with other antiretroviral medications.
Descovy is prescribed for treating HIV in adults and certain children.
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and destroys white blood cells. HIV can’t replicate on its own, so instead it inserts itself into a type of immune cell called CD4+ cells. Once inside CD4+ cells, HIV “takes over” the cell and uses it to make copies of the virus, which can spread to other CD4+ cells.
Descovy contains two active ingredients (what makes a drug work): emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide. Both emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide belong to a group of drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs).
NRTIs work by blocking HIV from multiplying and spreading in the body. Specifically, they block an enzyme (a type of protein) called reverse transcriptase, which HIV needs in order to replicate itself.
By blocking HIV from replicating itself, Descovy slows the progression of HIV. Over time, this action reduces the HIV viral load to an undetectable level.
To learn more about Descovy for HIV and children, talk with your child’s healthcare professional.
You may want to know more about how effective Descovy is against HIV if you’re prescribed the drug or considering treatment.
Descovy was shown to be effective for treating HIV in the drug’s clinical studies. To learn more about how Descovy performed in these studies, see Descovy’s prescribing information.
In addition, antiretroviral treatment is recommended for all persons living with HIV, according to
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you’d like to learn more about Descovy’s effectiveness for treating HIV.
Below is information on taking Descovy for HIV, including its recommended dosage and how to take Descovy tablets.
Descovy contains two active ingredients: emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide. It’s available as an oral tablet in two strengths:
For treating HIV in adults, the recommended Descovy dosage is one tablet containing 200 mg emtricitabine and 25 mg tenofovir alafenamide once daily.
For treating HIV in certain children, the recommended Descovy dosage depends on body weight in kilograms [One kilogram (kg) equals about 2.2 pounds (lb)]:
It’s important to note that certain factors, including your kidney health and other medications you may take, can affect the Descovy dosage prescribed by your healthcare professional.
Note: In addition to treating HIV, Descovy has other uses. Keep in mind that the drug’s dosage may differ when treating other conditions. To learn more, talk with your doctor.
You can take Descovy tablets with or without food.
You should not crush, split, or chew Descovy tablets. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have trouble swallowing pills.
For treating HIV, Descovy should be taken once per day.
If you miss a dose of Descovy, take it as soon as you can. It’s important to avoid missing doses, as doing so repeatedly can lead to HIV resistance to treatment with Descovy.
The use of Descovy for treating HIV may cause side effects that are mild or serious.
Descovy is also approved for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in certain people. Side effects of Descovy when used for HIV PrEP were similar to when it was used for treating HIV.
The following lists include some of the main side effects that have been reported with Descovy. For information about other potential side effects of the drug, talk with your doctor or pharmacist or refer to Descovy’s prescribing information.
Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Sharing your experience helps make medications safer for everyone by giving doctors and researchers more information about how the drug works in real life. If you develop a side effect while taking Descovy and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch or call 800-FDA-1088.
These side effects of Descovy may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. But if they last longer than this, bother you, or become severe, it’s important to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Call your doctor right away if you develop serious side effects while using Descovy. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
For some people, Descovy can cause an allergic reaction. But this side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.
In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious.
For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.
For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care as they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Descovy, your doctor may recommend a different medication instead.
Before you take Descovy, there’s some important information to keep in mind. The drug may not be a safe option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Some of these are mentioned here.
This drug has boxed warnings about worsening hepatitis B and risk of resistance to Descovy treatment. These are the most serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Risk of worsening hepatitis B. Worsening hepatitis B has been reported in people who have hepatitis B and stop taking Descovy. This can lead to liver failure and other severe symptoms.
Before you begin taking Descovy, your healthcare professional will order a test to check for hepatitis B. If you have hepatitis B, your doctor may choose to treat it before prescribing Descovy. If you don’t have hepatitis B, your doctor may suggest getting the hepatitis B vaccine before you begin Descovy treatment.
If you have hepatitis B and are prescribed Descovy, it’s very important that you do not run out of Descovy or stop taking it without first talking with your doctor. If you and your doctor agree that you’ll stop taking Descovy, they’ll likely closely monitor your hepatitis B symptoms and liver health for at least several months after your last dose. This way, they can prescribe treatment for hepatitis B if the condition worsens after you stop taking Descovy.
Risk of resistance to Descovy treatment when used for HIV PrEP. Descovy should only be used for HIV PrEP in people who do not have HIV. If a person with HIV uses Descovy for HIV PrEP, it could cause resistance to Descovy treatment. “Resistance” means the medication will be less effective or not effective at all for treating HIV.
Before prescribing Descovy for HIV PrEP, your doctor will check for HIV using a blood test. They’ll also order this test at least every 3 months while you are using Descovy for HIV PrEP.
In addition to boxed warnings, Descovy has other warnings.
If any of the following medical conditions or other health factors are relevant to you, talk with your doctor before taking Descovy:
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Descovy.
Descovy and Truvada are similar medications. They’re both approved to treat HIV in adults and certain children. Both Descovy and Truvada are also used for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in certain people.
Descovy and Truvada both come as tablets that contain two active ingredients (what makes a drug work). Both Descovy and Truvada contain emtricitabine as an active ingredient. But Descovy also contains tenofovir alafenamide, while Truvada contains tenofovir disoproxil fumarate as its second active ingredient.
To learn more, see this Descovy vs. Truvada comparison article. You can also ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Not necessarily. Descovy is approved for treating HIV in adults regardless of gender or sex.
For HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), Descovy is only approved for use in certain males and transgender females. Clinical studies of Descovy for HIV PrEP only included certain males and transgender females, so the drug is only approved for HIV PrEP in these specific populations.
To learn more about how Descovy is used for treating HIV and for HIV PrEP, talk with your healthcare professional.
The use of binary terms such as “male” and “female” or “men” and “women” in this article reflects the language of the sources we’ve used. Unless otherwise noted, it’s unclear whether the research we reference included participants with expansive gender identities.
The cost of Descovy depends on several factors. These include your prescribed treatment regimen, your insurance plan, the pharmacy you use, and your location.
Descovy is a brand-name drug that is not available as a generic. Brand-name drugs usually cost more than generics.
To save money on your Descovy prescription, explore these Optum Perks coupons. (Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.)
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.