Nevirapine (Viramune) is an anti-HIV drug that reduces the amount of virus in the body. Anti-HIV drugs such as nevirapine slow down or prevent damage to the immune system, and reduce the risk of developing AIDS-related illnesses.

Nevirapine is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). These drugs disrupt an HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase which is involved in the production of new viruses. For more information about how NNRTIs work, see Reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Nevirapine was formerly known by the codename BI-RG-587 and is manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim under the tradename Viramune. Nevirapine was licensed in the European Union in February 1998, and in the United States in June 1996.

A generic version, called Nevimune, is manufactured by the Indian company Cipla. Aurobindo Pharma also produce a generic version of nevirapine known as Nevirex. Ranbaxy also produces a generic version of nevirapine.

Nevirapine is also included in a number of generic fixed-dose combinations:

• With d4T (stavudine) and 3TC (lamivudine): Triomune (Cipla); Nevilast (Genixpharma); Stavex LN (Aurobindo), Triviro LNS (Ranbaxy); GPOVir (GPO, Thailand).
• With AZT (zidovudine) and 3TC: Duovir-N (Cipla); Zidovex-LN (Ranbaxy).