brivudine

**Brivudine** is an oral nucleoside analogue antiviral drug primarily used for the treatment of herpes zoster (shingles) in adults. It is a thymidine analogue that, after phosphorylation by viral thymidine kinase and cellular kinases, forms brivudine 5'-triphosphate. This active metabolite is incorporated into viral DNA and inhibits viral DNA polymerase, thereby blocking replication of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‑1), but not HSV‑2. Clinically, it has demonstrated higher potency against VZV than acyclovir or penciclovir. The drug is generally well tolerated; nausea is the most common side effect. Serious interactions can occur with fluorouracil-based cancer therapies due to inhibition of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase by its main metabolite bromovinyluracil (BVU). Developed in Germany and marketed mainly in Europe, it is not approved in the US or Canada[1][3][7].

Brand names

ZostexMevirBrivirBriviraxBridicBrivalBrivexBriviracBrivoxBrivuzostZerpexZonavirZovudex

Other names

(E)-5-(2-Bromovinyl)-deoxyuridinebrivudin5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridineHelpin