bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide
Biktarvy · ATC code J05AR20
Also known as: Bictegravir/Emtricitabin/Tenofoviralafenamid, Biktegravir/Emtrisitabin/Tenofovir alafenamid, Bictegravir / Emtricitabine / Tenofovir Alafenamide
- Key facts
- Active substance
- bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (INN: bictegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide)
- Drug class
- Efavirenz/lamivudine/tenofovir
- ATC code
- J05AR20
- Authorisation
- centrally authorised across the EU (EMA)
- Dosage forms
- Biktarvy 30 mg/120 mg/15 mg film-coated tablets / Biktarvy 50 mg/200 mg/25 mg film-coated tablets
- Marketing authorisation holder
- Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
- Information as of
- 2026-10-28
Key facts
Bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (Biktarvy) is a fixed-dose combination of an integrase inhibitor and two nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors for treating HIV-1 infection.
What it is used for
- Treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and children at least 2 years of age weighing at least 14 kg, without present or past evidence of resistance to the integrase inhibitor class, emtricitabine or tenofovir.
Dosing
- Adults and children weighing at least 25 kg: one 50 mg/200 mg/25 mg tablet once daily.
- Children at least 2 years of age weighing 14 kg to less than 25 kg: one 30 mg/120 mg/15 mg tablet once daily.
- With or without food; do not chew or crush because of the bitter taste.
- No dose adjustment in mild or moderate hepatic impairment; not recommended in severe (Child-Pugh C).
- No dose adjustment with CrCl ≥ 30 mL/min; avoid initiation with CrCl ≥15 to < 30 mL/min. In chronic haemodialysis generally avoid; if used, take after dialysis.
- A dose missed by up to 18 hours should be taken as soon as possible; if vomiting within 1 hour, take another tablet.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to the active substances or any excipient.
- Co-administration with rifampicin or St John's wort.
Important warnings
- HIV/HBV co-infection: discontinuation may cause severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis; monitor for at least several months.
- Increased risk of severe hepatic reactions in chronic hepatitis B or C; monitor liver function in pre-existing liver disease.
- Immune reactivation syndrome, including autoimmune disorders such as Graves' disease, may occur.
- Osteonecrosis, particularly in advanced HIV disease or long-term CART.
- Weight and blood lipid and glucose levels may increase.
Side effects
- Most frequent (treatment-naïve patients, Week 144): headache (5%), diarrhoea (5%) and nausea (4%).
- Common: depression, abnormal dreams, dizziness, fatigue.
- Uncommon: anaemia, suicidal ideation and suicide attempt (mainly with a psychiatric history), anxiety, sleep disorders, vomiting, angioedema, rash; rare: Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Interactions
- Not recommended with atazanavir, carbamazepine, ciclosporin, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifabutin, rifapentine or sucralfate; not with other antiretrovirals.
- Antacids or supplements with magnesium/aluminium: take Biktarvy at least 2 hours before, or with food 2 hours after; iron/zinc: at least 2 hours before or together with food.
- Do not combine with other HBV medicines (tenofovir, lamivudine, adefovir dipivoxil).
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- A large amount of data (more than 1,000 exposed outcomes) shows no malformative toxicity for emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide; may be used in pregnancy if the benefit justifies the risk, with close viral load monitoring.
- Should not be used during breast-feeding.
Summary of the official product information, written with AI on 2026-10-29. Every number was checked automatically against the original text. Not reviewed by a physician – the full official text is authoritative.
Common questions – ask Medelix
For patients
Package leaflet, verbatim
This product has no separate US patient information.
Authorisation and brand names by country
Medicines with exactly this active-substance composition, as listed in the national registers – alphabetical and without ranking. Whether a product is currently available is not shown here.
EU – centrally authorised (all member states)
- BiktarvyGilead Sciences Ireland UC · EMEA/H/C/004449
Source: European Medicines Agency (EMA), product information
Turkey
- BiktarvyGİLEAD SCİENCES İLAÇ TİC. LTD. ŞTİ. · 2 register entries
Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16
Brand names in 3 more European countries
- Iceland
- Biktarvy
- Liechtenstein
- Biktarvy
- Norway
- Biktarvy
EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29
Medelix receives no money from pharmaceutical companies. Brand names are listed alphabetically and without ranking.
Other substances in the same group
Another question about this substance?
Medelix answers clinical questions from guidelines, studies and product information – every claim with its source.
Sources
- European Medicines Agency. Biktarvy – EPAR, Product Information. 2026-10-28. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/biktarvy-epar-product-information_en.pdf
- TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85
- Wikidata (CC0): ATC J05AR.
Editorial: Medelix editorial team · last updated 2026-10-28 · How these pages are made · Report an error
Source: European Medicines Agency (EMA), product information. Not advertising, not a treatment recommendation. For questions about your own treatment, ask your doctor or pharmacist.