FTC (emtricitabine, Emtriva) is an antiviral drug that reduces the amount of HIV in the body. Anti-HIV drugs such as FTC slow down or prevent damage to the immune system, and reduce the risk of developing AIDS-related illnesses. FTC is also active against hepatitis B virus.

FTC is one of the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). These drugs disrupt an HIV protein or enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which is involved in making new viruses. For more information about how NRTIs work, see Reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

FTC was developed by Triangle Pharmaceuticals and acquired by Gilead Pharmaceuticals in December 2002. FTC is marketed by Gilead as Emtriva. FTC has also been known by the tradename Coviracil. Its chemical name is 2’,3’-dideoxy-5-fluoro-3’-thiacytidine.

FTC was authorised in the United States in July 2003, and in the European Union in October 2003. It has not yet been approved as a therapy for hepatitis B.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in August 2004 that it had approved a once-daily combination tablet containing 200mg FTC and 300mg tenofovir. The combination tablet is marketed as Truvada by Gilead worldwide. Truvada was approved in the European Union in November 2004.

In the United States, FTC is also available in a triple-drug combination tablet called Atripla. This tablet, which is the first once-daily tablet containing a complete anti-HIV treatment regimen, contains 600mg efavirenz, 200mg FTC (emtricitabine) and 300mg tenofovir. It was approved in the United States in July 2006, but a European approval is not expected until the end of 2006.