lopinavir + ritonavir + zidovudine + lamivudine + abacavir

This pediatric HIV treatment regimen, studied in the LIVING (Lopinavir based ART for HIV-Infected children Globally) trial, is designed for infants and young children who cannot swallow conventional tablets. It consists of lopinavir and ritonavir (LPV/r) formulated as oral pellets (40/10 mg) by Cipla, used in combination with a dual nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) backbone, typically either abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) or zidovudine/lamivudine (AZT/3TC) in dispersible tablet form. The regimen works by inhibiting two key stages of the HIV life cycle: the protease inhibitors (lopinavir and ritonavir) prevent the cleavage of viral polyproteins into functional units, while the NRTIs (zidovudine, lamivudine, and abacavir) act as chain terminators during the reverse transcription of viral RNA into DNA. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) led the development and clinical evaluation of this pellet-based approach to provide a more palatable and heat-stable alternative to traditional liquid formulations in resource-limited settings.

Other names

LPV/r pellets + NRTIsLIVING trial regimenLopinavir/ritonavir pellets plus NRTIs