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emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide

Descovy · ATC code J05AR17

Also known as: Emtricitabin/Tenofoviralafenamid, Emtrisitabin/Tenofovir alafenamid, Emtricitabine / Tenofovir Alafenamide

Key facts
Active substance
emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (INN: emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide)
Drug class
Efavirenz/lamivudine/tenofovir
ATC code
J05AR17
Authorisation
centrally authorised across the EU (EMA)
Dosage forms
Descovy 200 mg/10 mg film-coated tablets · Descovy 200 mg/25 mg film-coated tablets
Marketing authorisation holder
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
Information as of
2026-10-28

Key facts

Emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (Descovy) is a fixed-dose combination of two nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors used with other antiretrovirals to treat HIV-1 infection.

What it is used for

  • In combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of adults and adolescents (aged 12 years and older with body weight at least 35 kg) infected with HIV-1.

Dosing

  • The tablet strength depends on the third agent: Descovy 200/10 mg once daily with atazanavir or darunavir boosted with ritonavir or cobicistat, or with lopinavir/ritonavir.
  • Descovy 200/25 mg once daily with dolutegravir, efavirenz, maraviroc, nevirapine, rilpivirine or raltegravir.
  • Taken with or without food; not chewed or crushed, but may be split in half and both halves taken immediately.
  • Missed dose: if within 18 hours, take as soon as possible; if more than 18 hours, skip it. If vomiting occurs within 1 hour, take another tablet.
  • Renal impairment: no adjustment with CrCl ≥ 30 mL/min; discontinue if CrCl declines below 30 mL/min; in end-stage renal disease on chronic haemodialysis generally avoided, given after haemodialysis if used.
  • No dose adjustment in hepatic impairment or in the elderly.

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients.

Important warnings

  • Stopping treatment in patients co-infected with hepatitis B may cause severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis; monitoring for at least several months after stopping.
  • Patients with chronic hepatitis B or C are at increased risk of severe and potentially fatal hepatic reactions; pre-existing liver dysfunction requires monitoring.
  • Weight and blood lipids and glucose may increase during antiretroviral therapy.
  • Not to be used with other medicines containing tenofovir, emtricitabine, lamivudine or adefovir dipivoxil.

Side effects

  • Very common: nausea.
  • Common: abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, flatulence, rash.
  • Uncommon: anaemia, dyspepsia, angioedema, pruritus, urticaria, arthralgia.

Interactions

  • P-gp inducers (e.g. rifampicin, rifabutin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital) are expected to reduce tenofovir alafenamide levels, with possible loss of effect and resistance.
  • P-gp/BCRP inhibitors (e.g. cobicistat, ritonavir, ciclosporin) increase tenofovir alafenamide absorption.
  • Medicines that decrease renal function or are eliminated by tubular secretion may increase emtricitabine concentrations.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

  • A large amount of data (more than 1,000 exposed outcomes) shows no malformative or foetal/neonatal toxicity for emtricitabine; data for tenofovir alafenamide are limited.

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.

Full official text →

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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)

Source: European Medicines Agency (EMA), product information

Turkey

  • DescovyGİLEAD SCİENCES İLAÇ TİC. LTD. ŞTİ. · 4 register entries

Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16

Brand names in 12 more European countries
Czechia
Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Zentiva
Denmark
Emtricitabin/Tenofoviralafenamid Lupin, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Medical Valley, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Zentiva
Finland
Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Lupin
France
Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Zentiva
Iceland
Descovy, Emtricitabine+tenofovir Alafenamide Zentiva, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Viatris
Italy
Emtricitabina E Tenofovir Alafenamide Zentiva
Liechtenstein
Descovy, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Viatris
Netherlands
Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Zentiva, Emtricitabine/Tenofoviralafenamide Lupin, Emtricitabine/Tenofoviralafenamide Rockmed Pharma, Emtricitabine/Tenofoviralafenamide Xiromed
Norway
Descovy, Emtricitabine/ Tenofovir Alafenamide Lupin, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Medical Valley, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Viatris, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Zentiva
Portugal
Emtricitabina + Tenofovir Alafenamida Zentiva
Spain
Emtricitabina/Tenofovir Alafenamida Dr. Reddys, Emtricitabina/Tenofovir Alafenamida Lupin, Emtricitabina/Tenofovir Alafenamida Zentiva
Sweden
Emtricitabine/ Tenofovir Alafenamide Lupin, Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Zentiva

EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29

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Sources

  1. European Medicines Agency. Descovy – EPAR, Product Information. 2026-10-28. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/descovy-epar-product-information_en.pdf
  2. TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85
  3. 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.