lamivudine + zidovudine

Lamivudine + zidovudine is a fixed-dose combination (FDC) antiretroviral medication consisting of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). It is primarily indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection as part of a multi-drug regimen. Both components, lamivudine (3TC) and zidovudine (ZDV or AZT), function as analogs of natural nucleosides; once phosphorylated into their active triphosphate forms, they compete with natural substrates for incorporation into viral DNA by the HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme. This incorporation leads to DNA chain termination, effectively halting viral replication. This specific combination was a foundational element of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and was the subject of the large-scale, multinational PEARLS (ACTG 5175) trial conducted by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), which evaluated its efficacy and safety in diverse, resource-limited global settings.

Brand names

Combivir

Other names

Lamivudine/ZidovudineAZT/3TCZidovudine and Lamivudine