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

Quick overview

Genvoya is a single tablet combining elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide, used on its own to treat HIV-1 infection. It is taken once daily with food and is intended for adults and children weighing at least 25 kg. Genvoya helps lower the amount of virus in the blood and supports immune function, but it does not cure HIV or AIDS.

What is Genvoya Tablet

Genvoya is a tablet that combines four medicines (elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide) in one pill. It is used on its own, not with other HIV medicines, to treat HIV-1 infection.

Genvoya Tablet uses

• Treating HIV-1 infection in adults and children weighing at least 25 kg (about 55 pounds) who have not taken HIV medicines before
• Replacing a current HIV treatment in people whose virus is already well controlled and who meet certain requirements set by their doctor

Benefits of Genvoya Tablet

• HIV-1 Treatment: Used as a complete regimen for treatment of HIV-1 infection in eligible patients
• Viral Suppression: Helps prevent HIV from multiplying
• Immune-System Support: Effective treatment helps preserve immune function
• Single-Tablet Therapy: Combines four active components into one daily tablet
• Reduced Drug Breakdown: Cobicistat increases elvitegravir levels, allowing once-daily treatment

How Genvoya Tablet works

Genvoya works by blocking an HIV enzyme needed for the virus to multiply, which lowers the amount of virus in the blood and helps the immune system recover.

Genvoya Tablet dosage

Take once daily with food. Take at the same time each day and try not to miss doses, as this can allow the virus to become harder to treat. If you are on dialysis, take your daily dose after your dialysis session. If you need an antacid containing aluminum, magnesium, or calcium, take it at least 2 hours before or after Genvoya. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for your next dose — do not double up. Keep taking it until your doctor tells you to stop; do not stop suddenly without talking to your doctor first. Refill your prescription before you run out completely.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet

Side effects of Genvoya Tablet

Common

• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Abdominal pain
• Indigestion
• Flatulence
• Rash
• Vomiting

Serious

• Worsening of hepatitis B infection after stopping treatment (hepatic flare)
• Signs and symptoms of inflammation from previous infections (immune reconstitution)
• Lactic acidosis (build-up of acid in the blood)
• Serious liver problems (hepatotoxicity)
• Allergic reaction
• New or worsening kidney problems

Warnings and precautions

• Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known if Genvoya can harm an unborn baby, and it is generally not recommended during pregnancy because drug levels may be too low to work well.
• Do not breastfeed while taking Genvoya, because HIV can pass to the baby through breast milk.
• Tell your doctor if you have severe kidney problems or are on dialysis. Your doctor will test your kidney function before and during treatment, and may stop the medicine if your kidney function worsens.
• Tell your doctor if you have liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection. Genvoya is not recommended for people with severe liver impairment, and stopping the medicine can cause hepatitis B to flare up.
• Be careful driving or using machinery until you know how Genvoya affects you, especially if you feel dizzy, drowsy, or have trouble concentrating.
• If you have both HIV and hepatitis B, your hepatitis B may suddenly get much worse if you stop taking Genvoya. Do not stop this medicine without talking to your doctor, and you may need liver monitoring for months after stopping.
• Genvoya should not be taken with certain other medicines because of serious interactions, including some heart, seizure, cholesterol, and sedative medicines, and St John's Wort.
• Genvoya does not cure HIV or AIDS, and people taking it can still develop infections related to a weakened immune system.
• It is still possible to pass HIV to others while taking Genvoya, so safer sex practices and not sharing needles are still important.
• Running out of Genvoya or missing doses can allow the virus to increase and become resistant to treatment, making it harder to treat in future.

Storage

• Keep tablets in the original bottle with the cap tightly closed until you take them
• Store in a cool, dry place below 25°C (below 30°C per the US product information)
• Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills
• Keep out of reach of children
• Do not use after the expiry date printed on the bottle
• Take unused or expired medicine to a pharmacy for safe disposal

When to see a doctor

• Get medical help right away if you notice signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, wheezing, chest pain or tightness, or fainting.
• Call your doctor straight away or go to the emergency department if you feel very weak or tired, have unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, feel cold in your arms and legs, feel dizzy or light-headed, or have a fast or irregular heartbeat — these may be signs of lactic acidosis.
• Seek medical attention if your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow, your urine turns dark, your stools turn light in colour, you lose your appetite for several days, or you feel sick to your stomach with lower stomach pain — these may be signs of serious liver problems.
• Tell your doctor right away if you notice any new symptoms of infection after starting treatment, as this could be a sign of your immune system reacting to a hidden previous infection.
• If you think you have taken too much Genvoya, seek urgent medical attention even if you feel fine.

Alternatives

• Biktarvy
• Triumeq
• Dovato
• Odefsey