Dovato Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Dovato Tablet combines dolutegravir and lamivudine, two HIV medicines, in a single once-daily tablet used as a complete treatment for HIV-1 infection on its own. It is used in adults and adolescents 12 years and older who weigh at least 55 pounds (25 kg), either as initial treatment or when switching from a suppressed regimen. Dovato works by blocking two enzymes HIV needs to multiply, and most patients reach undetectable viral loads within 12 to 24 weeks.

What is Dovato Tablet

Dovato is a prescription medicine that combines two HIV medicines, dolutegravir and lamivudine, in one tablet. It is a complete, once-daily treatment for HIV-1 infection that is taken on its own, without needing other HIV medicines.

Dovato Tablet uses

• Treats HIV-1 infection in adults and adolescents 12 years and older who weigh at least 55 pounds (25 kg) and have never taken HIV treatment before, with no known resistance to dolutegravir or lamivudine
• Used in adults and adolescents who are already virologically suppressed on their current HIV treatment for at least 3-6 months, with no history of treatment failure or resistance to either component of Dovato, who are switching regimens

Benefits of Dovato Tablet

• Combines two antiretroviral medicines in a single tablet taken once a day
• Most patients taking Dovato reach undetectable viral loads (HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/mL) within 12 to 24 weeks of starting treatment
• Clinical trials show it works about as well as some traditional 3-drug HIV treatments for eligible patients

How Dovato Tablet works

Dovato works in two ways to stop HIV from multiplying. Dolutegravir blocks an enzyme called integrase that the virus needs to insert its genetic material into cells, while lamivudine blocks a different enzyme called reverse transcriptase and acts as a faulty building block so the virus cannot copy its DNA properly.

Dovato Tablet dosage

Take Dovato once a day at about the same time each day. It can be taken with or without food. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water; do not crush, chew, or split it. Do not change your dose or stop taking Dovato without talking to your doctor first, as this can make your condition harder to treat.

If you take antacids or laxatives containing aluminum, magnesium, or calcium, or other buffered medicines, take them at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after Dovato. If you take calcium or iron supplements (including multivitamins with calcium or iron), you can take them at the same time as Dovato if you take it with food; otherwise separate them by 2 hours before or 6 hours after.

Dovato is not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Keep taking Dovato long-term as directed by your healthcare provider; do not run out of your supply.

Available forms and strengths

• Oral tablet

Side effects of Dovato Tablet

Common

• Headache
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Anxiety
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Dizziness
• Weight gain
• Abnormal dreams
• Joint or muscle pain
• Rash or itching
• Loss of hair

Serious

• Severe allergic reaction with rash, fever, breathing trouble, or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Liver problems, including liver failure, with jaundice, dark urine, light-colored stools, severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite
• Worsening of hepatitis B infection or hepatitis B that becomes resistant to treatment if you stop taking Dovato
• Lactic acidosis (too much lactic acid in the blood), which can be life-threatening, with symptoms like severe weakness, trouble breathing, stomach pain, feeling cold, irregular heartbeat, or dizziness
• Immune reconstitution syndrome (new or worsening infections or inflammatory conditions as your immune system recovers)
• Depression or suicidal thoughts, especially in people with a history of depression or mental health conditions
• Kidney function changes

Warnings and precautions

• If you have both HIV-1 and hepatitis B, Dovato can cause the hepatitis B virus to change and become resistant to treatment, or cause a severe flare-up of hepatitis B if you stop taking it. You should be tested for hepatitis B before starting treatment, and you should not stop taking Dovato without talking to your doctor.
• Do not take Dovato with the heart medicine dofetilide, as this combination can cause serious or life-threatening side effects.
• Do not run out of Dovato. If the amount of medicine in your blood drops too low, the virus can increase and become harder to treat.
• Lactic acidosis and serious liver problems, including fatal cases, have occurred with medicines like lamivudine, one of the components of Dovato. Women and people who are very overweight may have a higher risk.
• Starting HIV treatment can cause your immune system to react strongly to old, hidden infections or trigger autoimmune conditions, sometimes months after starting treatment.
• Dovato is not recommended during pregnancy, especially around the time of conception and in the first 12 weeks, because one of its ingredients may cause birth defects affecting the brain or spine. A pregnancy test may be needed before starting, and effective birth control should be used.
• Breastfeeding is not recommended for people with HIV because the virus and the medicine can pass to the baby through breast milk.
• Dovato is not recommended for people with significant kidney problems because the dose of the tablet cannot be adjusted.
• Dovato is not recommended for people with severe liver impairment. People with a history of hepatitis B or C may have a higher risk of liver problems while taking this medicine.
• Dovato is not known to interact directly with alcohol, but drinking too much alcohol can make liver problems worse, so it's best to discuss alcohol use with your healthcare provider.
• Be careful before driving or using machines until you know how this medicine affects you, since it can cause dizziness and tiredness in some people.

Storage

• Store below 30°C (86°F)
• Keep the medicine in its original pack until it is time to take it
• Keep out of reach of children
• Store in a cool, dry place away from moisture, heat, or sunlight; do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills
• If you no longer need the medicine or it is out of date, take it to a pharmacy for safe disposal
• Do not use after the expiry date

When to see a doctor

• Get medical help right away if you develop a rash along with fever, feeling generally unwell, tiredness, muscle or joint aches, blisters or sores in the mouth, blisters or peeling skin, swelling or redness of the eyes, swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue, or trouble breathing.
• Tell your healthcare provider right away if your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow, your urine turns dark, your stools become light-colored, you have nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, or pain on the right side of your stomach area, as these can be signs of liver problems.
• Seek immediate medical help if you feel very weak or tired, have unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, feel cold especially in your arms and legs, feel dizzy or light-headed, or have a fast or irregular heartbeat, as these may be signs of lactic acidosis, a serious medical emergency.
• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having new symptoms after starting this medicine, as this may be a sign of your immune system reacting to a hidden infection.
• If you think you have taken too much Dovato, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Alternatives

• Stribild
• Juluca
• Triumeq