What drugs are contained in the HIV treatment Symtuza?

Symtuza is a four-drug combination of darunavir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults.

The four drugs contained in Symtuza are:

• darunavir (Prezista) a protease inhibitor that stops HIV replication and helps to provide a high barrier to drug resistance, meaning it may keep on working even if the HIV virus has changed (mutated).
• cobicistat (Tybost) an antiviral booster that reduces the activity of enzymes in the liver that break down certain HIV medicines so they can be used more safely and effectively at lower doses.
• emtricitabine (Emtriva) a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor that helps prevent HIV from multiplying in the body.
• tenofovir alafenamide (Vemlidy) a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor that helps prevent HIV from multiplying in the body.

Symtuza is indicated as a complete regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults:

• who have no prior antiretroviral treatment history or
• who are virologically suppressed (HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies per mL) on a stable antiretroviral regimen for at least 6 months and have no known substitutions associated with resistance to darunavir or tenofovir.

Learn more about HIV and AIDS: HIV and AIDS Information Center