Effectiveness
3TC (lamivudine, Epivir) is able to reduce HIV viral load and increase CD4 cell counts in the majority of people when taken in combination with at least two other antiretroviral drugs[1]. It is effective against HIV-1 and HIV-2, and there is some evidence that 3TC can penetrate the central nervous system, where it is active against HIV.
3TC is usually given in combination with at least one other nucleoside or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI / NtRTI), particularly AZT (zidovudine, Retrovir) or abacavir (Ziagen), along with a protease inhibitor or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). However, 3TC was first licensed before protease inhibitors and NNRTIs were developed. Its license was granted after clinical studies showed that it reduced disease progression, AIDS and death by 66% when it was added to AZT monotherapy, in HIV-positive patients with and without experience of taking AZT[2][3][4][5].
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