Valtrex: profile and news

Antiviral Drugs Help Relieve Enduring Shingles Pain May 9, 2006
After that, they took oral Valtrex (valacyclovir) at 1,000-mg three times a day for a month. The patients, 12 men and three women, were 50 or older. ... - MedPage Today,

Antiviral Drugs may Help Treat Shingles May 10, 2006
Participants took 10 milligrams of acyclovir (Zovirax) intravenously every eight hours for 14 days and 1,000 milligrams of valacyclovir (Valtrex) every day for ... - Ivanhoe,

Antiviral Drugs May Cut Shingles Pain May 8, 2006
...doses of the antiviral drug Zovirax (acyclovir) every eight hours for 14 days, followed by oral doses of another antiviral drug, Valtrex (valacyclovir), three ... - WebMD

I have herpes, is my sex life ruined? May 2, 2006
For a recurrence, the dose is 120 mg twice a day for 5 days. Valacyclovir (Valtrex). This has twice the bioavailability of acyclovir and the dosing is simple. ... - MSNBC

Profits up 27% in first quarter at GSK Apr 27, 2006
24% to £384 million, vaccines increased 44% to £366 million, Lamictal was 14% stronger at £237 million, Coreg up 53% to £225 million, and Valtrex added 16 ... - CityWire.co.uk,

Blisters may be shingles Apr 18, 2006
Oral antiviral medications such as Zovirax, Valtrex or Famvir are the primary treatment. Corticosteroids are prescribed to reduce pain. ... - The Daily Advertiser,

Tristan Taormino's Reality Porn! May 3, 2006
...and hope to be invited to the next gathering at a remote house that Tristan hosts--don't worry, TR, I'll bring my own supply of Valtrex!), I watched this movie ... - Village Voice,

Combo treatments eliminate prostate cancer May 2, 2006
...the prostate. Patients are also given the drug Valtrex orally, which is the same medication used against the herpes virus. When ... - myDNA.com,

GSK posts Q1 profits well ahead of forecasts - UPDATE Apr 27, 2006
...disease drug Coreg was up 53 pct at 225 mln stg, epilepsy and bipolar disorder drug Lamictal was up 14 pct at 237 mln stg and herpes treatment Valtrex was up ... - Forbes

GlaxoSmithKline Q1 Profit Rise 25% Apr 27, 2006
...treat heart disease, saw its sales grow 53% to 225 million pounds, while sales of epilepsy drug Lamictal grew 14% to 237 million pounds and Valtrex sales rose ... - Trading Markets,

The Ramble: Vick "Settles" With Herpes Case, Bush Is Burning ... Apr 25, 2006
...whatever financial loss he may suffer as a result of this settlement if he seeks out an endorsement deal with the folks who manufacture Valtrex, the genital ... - Blogcritics.org,

Sex in the Classic City For Her Apr 21, 2006
...inherit whatever he has. 7) After confessing to your friends, then comes getting the insurance to pay for your Valtrex. 6) Once the ... - Red and Black,

Student Health garners criticism from women Apr 20, 2006
..."(The physician) gave me an exam and said 'Looks like herpes,'" she said. "After just looking at me, she was prescribing me Valtrex.". ... - The Maroon (subscription),

Other information

Indication
For the treatment and management of herpes zoster (shingles), genital herpes, and chickenpox

Pharmacology
Acyclovir is a synthetic deoxyguanosine analog and it is the prototype antiviral agent that is activated by viral thymidine kinase. The selective activity of acyclovir is due to its affinity for the thymidine kinase enzyme encoded by HSV and VZV.

Mechanism Of Action
Viral (HSV-1, HSV-2 and VZV) thymidine kinase converts acyclovir to the acyclovir monophosphate, which is then converted to the diphosphate by cellular guanylate kinase, and finally to the triphosphate by phosphoglycerate kinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and pyruvate kinase. Acyclovir triphosphate competitively inhibits viral DNA polymerase and competes with the natural deoxyguanosine triphosphate, for incorporation into viral DNA. Once incorporated, acyclovir triphosphate inhibits DNA synthesis by acting as a chain terminator.

Drug Category
Antivirals; Nucleosides and Nucleotides (08:18.32); ATC:J05AB

Brand Names/Synonyms
AC2; Aciclovier; Aciclovir; Acycloguanosine; Acyclovir; Acyclovir Sodium; Alti-Acyclovir; Avirax; BW-248U; Valtrex; Vipral; Virorax; Wellcome-248u; Zovirax; Zovirax Wellstat Pac; Zovirax Zostab Pac

Dosage Forms
Intravenous Infusion; Capsules; Tablets; Suspension; Topical Cream; Topical Ointment

Absorption
Oral _ Bioavailability 10 to 20%

Interactions
Co-administration of probenecid with acyclovir has been shown to increase the mean half-life and the area under the concentration-time curve. Urinary excretion and renal clearance were correspondingly reduced. The clinical effects of this combination have not been studied.

Chemical IUPAC Name
2-amino-9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)-3H-purin-6-one

Chemical Formula
C8H11N5O3

Half Life
2.5-3.3 hours

Drug Type
Approved Drug

# Accession No
APRD00567

CAS Registry Number
59277-89-3