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 some evidence indicates that 3TC can penetrate the central nervous system where it is active against HIV.

3TC is given in combination, usually with a protease inhibitor or a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and at least one other nucleoside or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor, particularly AZT (zidovudine, Retrovir) or abacavir (Ziagen). 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 added to AZT monotherapy in both AZT-experienced and AZT-naive patients.^[2][3][4][5]

EPIV HBV oral solution and tablets contain a sub-therapeutic dose of 3TC for treating HIV infection. Unless a HIV/HBV co-infected child requires a 3TC 100mg dose for treating HIV, these drugs are not interchangeable.