IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION  Prescribing Information

Indication and Usage: LEXIVA is indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV infection. The PI-experienced–patient study was not large enough to reach a definitive conclusion that LEXIVA/ritonavir and lopinavir/ritonavir are clinically equivalent. Once-daily administration of LEXIVA plus ritonavir is not recommended for PI-experienced patients or any pediatric patients. LEXIVA does not cure HIV or prevent passing HIV to others.

Important Safety Information: You should not take LEXIVA if you have had an allergic reaction to LEXIVA or AGENERASE® (amprenavir). You should not take LEXIVA with: AGENERASE® (amprenavir), Halcion® (triazolam), ergot medications (Cafergot®, Migranal®, D.H.E. 45®, and others), Propulsid® (cisapride), CONTINUED BELOW

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Treating HIV

It starts when you team up with your doctor on an HIV treatment plan. Regular checkups and blood tests will show how well your medicine is working. Together, you and your doctor are setting the goals of your HIV treatment, including:


A Lower Viral load

Viral load is the amount of HIV in your blood. The goal is a viral load so low that it's undetectable

A Strong Immune System

When treatment works well, your viral load goes DOWN and your T-cell (CD4 cell) count goes UP. More CD4 cells help fight off diseases, infections, and AIDS-related illnesses.

Few Medicine Side Effects

A good HIV treatment plan will control the virus without causing too many side effects

Get to know the types of HIV treatment


In addition to friends, family, and doctors, you have an important partner: your medicines. HIV medicines work best when used in combination with other medications. That’s because each medicine targets specific parts of the HIV lifecycle.


Entry Inhibitors

Entry inhibitors change the lock on the cell. The chemical HIV uses as a key no longer works, and the virus cannot enter the cell. There are two kinds of entry inhibitors: CCR5 inhibitors and fusion inhibitors (FIs).

NRTIs and NNRTIs

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs): NRTIs and NNRTIs slow down the rate at which copies of HIV are made in the body.

Integrase Inhibitors

These medicines slow down the production of integrase, the chemical HIV needs to enter the cell's command center and change the cell's machinery. Without this access, HIV cannot make copies of itself.

Protease Inhibitors (PIs)

PIs stop protease from being produced. Protease is the chemical used by HIV to form the parts that need to be put together to make a new copy of the virus. When protease production is stopped, the virus cannot make copies of itself, so it cannot infect healthy cells. LEXIVA is a protease inhibitor. See how LEXIVA, a protease inhibitor, works.

Staying on track with HIV treatment


Call it "adherence," "taking as directed," or simply "sticking with it." The most important part of your treatment plan is following it every day. That's the best way to increase your chances of fighting off illness. Getting off track can cause serious problems, including viral resistance.

Don’t let the cost of HIV medicines get you off track. Check out our programs that help with the cost of HIV medication: My Support Card and the ViiV Assistance Program.

Reasons to change medicines


Sometimes during the course of HIV treatment, you may need to consider changing medicines. Here are possible reasons to change:

  • Your viral load increases or becomes detectable on a medication after having been undetectable
  • Your viral load remains detectable after 4 to 6 months of treatment
  • Your CD4 cell count goes down
  • You begin to have signs or symptoms of HIV
  • Side effects are bothering you too much
  • Taking your medicine is too difficult. For example, you may have to take pills too many times each day. Or you may have to take them on an empty stomach

If you think it might be time to change your HIV treatment, talk to your doctor. Together, you will decide if safely changing medicines is right for you.


Next Page: HIV FAQs

Talk to your doctor to see if LEXIVA is right for you.
 Please see the full Prescribing Information for LEXIVA.

HIV Fast Fact

Questions for Your Doctor

Prepare for your next appointment.

Risks & Side Effects

Find out what you need to know.

Speak Up

INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

LEXIVA is indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV infection.

  • The PI-experienced–patient study was not large enough to reach a definitive conclusion that LEXIVA/ritonavir and lopinavir/ritonavir are clinically equivalent
  • Once-daily administration of LEXIVA plus ritonavir is not recommended for PI-experienced patients or any pediatric patients

LEXIVA does not cure HIV or prevent passing HIV to others.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

  • You should not take LEXIVA if you have had an allergic reaction to LEXIVA or AGENERASE® (amprenavir).
  • Tell your healthcare provider if you have liver or kidney problems, have diabetes or hemophilia, are allergic to sulfa medicines, or are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
  • High blood sugar, diabetes or worsening of diabetes, and bleeding in hemophiliacs have occurred in some patients taking protease inhibitors.
  • When you start taking HIV medicines, your immune system may get stronger and could begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body, such as pneumonia, herpes virus, or tuberculosis. If you have new symptoms after starting your HIV medicines, be sure to tell your doctor.
  • Changes in body fat may occur in some patients taking antiretroviral therapy. The cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known at this time.
  • Skin rashes can occur in patients taking LEXIVA.
  • Opportunistic infections can develop when you have HIV and your immune system is weak. It is very important that you see your healthcare provider regularly while you are taking LEXIVA to discuss any side effects or concerns.
  • Kidney stones have been reported in patients taking LEXIVA. Tell your healthcare provider if you have pain in your side, blood in your urine, or pain when you urinate.
  • Missing or skipping doses of your medicine may make it easier for the virus to mutate and multiply. Your medicines may not work as well against a mutated virus, and you may become cross-resistant to other HIV medicines. It's important to take your medicine exactly as prescribed.

MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS

  • The most common side effects in clinical studies were diarrhea, headache, nausea, rash, and vomiting. In most cases, these side effects did not cause people to stop taking their medicine.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

  • LEXIVA should not be taken with: AGENERASE® (amprenavir), Halcion® (triazolam), ergot medications (Cafergot®, Migranal®, D.H.E. 45®, and others), Propulsid® (cisapride), Versed® (midazolam), Orap® (pimozide), Zocor® (simvastatin), Mevacor® (lovastatin), Rifadin® (rifampin), Rescriptor® (delavirdine mesylate), Revatio® (sildenafil), Uroxatral® (alfuzosin), or St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). If you are taking Norvir® (ritonavir), you should not take Tambocor® (flecainide) or Rythmol® (propafenone hydrochloride).
  • Serious and/or life-threatening events could occur between LEXIVA and other medications, including Cordarone® (amiodarone), lidocaine (intravenous only), Elavil® (amitriptyline HCl), and Tofranil® (imipramine pamoate), tricyclic antidepressants, Advair® (fluticasone propionate/salmeterol) and Serevent® (salmeterol), and Quinaglute® (quinidine).
  • Women who use birth control pills should choose a different kind of birth control. The use of LEXIVA with Norvir (ritonavir) in combination with birth control pills may hurt your liver. Also, birth control pills may not work if you take LEXIVA or LEXIVA with Norvir. Talk to your healthcare provider about choosing the right birth control for you.
  • Patients taking Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) or LEVITRA® (vardenafil HCl) with LEXIVA may be at increased risk of side effects.
  • This list of drug interactions is not complete. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all medicines you are taking or plan to take, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbals.
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