Famciclovir Brand Name– Famvir
What is Famciclovir
Famciclovir is an oral antiviral agent. It is the diacetyl 6-deoxy analog of the active antiviral agent penciclovir.
Penciclovir itself is marketed as a topical and intravenous antiviral agent. Penciclovir has a similar spectrum of activity to acyclovir but has a longer duration of action due to a longer intracellular half-life. Thus, famciclovir can be dosed less frequently than oral acyclovir.
Twice daily dosing of oral famciclovir has been shown effective in suppressing HSV-2 infection in HIV-positive patients.
Despite the bioavailability and duration of action advantages for famciclovir/penciclovir, acyclovir possesses a higher affinity for the target enzyme than penciclovir.
Famciclovir was originally FDA-approved on June 30, 1994.
Famciclovir is FDA-approved for treatment of acute herpes zoster (shingles), treatment or suppression of recurrent genital herpes in immunocompetent patients, acute treatment of recurrent herpes labialis (cold sores) in immunocompetent patients, and treatment of recurrent mucocutaneous herpes simplex infection in HIV-infected patients.
Indications
- Bell’s palsy
- Epstein-Barr virus
- herpes genitalis
- herpes genitalis prophylaxis
- herpes labialis
- herpes simplex infection prophylaxis
- herpes simplex virus infection
- herpes simplex virus type 1
- herpes simplex virus type 2
- herpes zoster (shingles) infection
- varicella (chickenpox) infection
- varicella-zoster virus
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- anaphylactic shock
- anaphylactoid reactions
- anemia
- angioedema
- confusion
- delirium
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- dysmenorrhea
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- erythema multiforme
- fatigue
- flatulence
- hallucinations
- headache
- hyperamylasemia
- hyperbilirubinemia
- jaundice
- leukopenia
- migraine
- nausea
- neutropenia
- palpitations
- paresthesias
- pruritus
- rash
- renal failure (unspecified)
- seizures
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- thrombocytopenia
- toxic epidermal necrolysis
- urticaria
- vasculitis
- vomiting
Monitoring Parameters
- serum creatinine/BUN
Contraindications
- acyclovir hypersensitivity
- breast-feeding
- children
- dialysis
- famciclovir hypersensitivity
- ganciclovir hypersensitivity
- geriatric
- herpes infection
- infants
- neonates
- penciclovir hypersensitivity
- pregnancy
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- valacyclovir hypersensitivity
- valganciclovir hypersensitivity
- varicella
Interactions
- Colchicine; Probenecid
- Measles Virus; Mumps Virus; Rubella Virus; Varicella Virus Vaccine, Live
- Probenecid
- Talimogene Laherparepvec
- Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccine, Live
