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

Quick overview

Selzentry Tablet (maraviroc) is a prescription antiviral medicine from the CCR5 co-receptor antagonist class. It is used together with other HIV medicines to treat CCR5-tropic HIV-1 infection in adults and children weighing at least 2 kg. Selzentry is not a cure for HIV or AIDS and is not recommended for dual/mixed-tropic or CXCR4-tropic HIV-1.

What is Selzentry Tablet

Selzentry is a prescription antiviral medicine used with other HIV medicines to treat a specific type of HIV-1 infection called CCR5-tropic HIV-1. It is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.

Selzentry Tablet uses

• Used in combination with other antiretroviral medicines to treat only CCR5-tropic HIV-1 infection in adults and children weighing at least 2 kg (4.4 lb)
• Not recommended for people with dual/mixed-tropic or CXCR4-tropic HIV-1

Benefits of Selzentry Tablet

• Can reduce the amount of HIV in the blood (viral load)
• Can increase the number of CD4 (T) cells, helping keep the immune system healthier
• Supports long-term viral suppression
• Helps protect immune-system function
• Provides an oral treatment option for CCR5-tropic HIV
• Can be useful in selected treatment-experienced patients

How Selzentry Tablet works

HIV enters blood cells by attaching to receptors on the cell surface. Selzentry blocks a receptor called CCR5 that CCR5-tropic HIV-1 uses to get into CD4 cells, which stops the virus from entering and multiplying in those cells.

Selzentry Tablet dosage

Take Selzentry with other antiretroviral medicines as prescribed; do not use it alone. It can be taken with or without food. Swallow tablets whole; do not chew, crush, or break them. The oral solution should be measured and given using the provided press-in bottle adapter and oral dosing syringe. Tell your healthcare provider if a child has trouble swallowing tablets, since the oral solution may be used instead.

Take Selzentry on a regular dosing schedule and try not to miss doses, since missing doses can let the virus become harder to treat. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember; do not take two doses at the same time. Do not let your supply run out; refill before you run out completely.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablets: 25 mg, 75 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg
• Oral solution: 20 mg per mL

Side effects of Selzentry Tablet

Common

• Upper respiratory tract infections, cough, fever
• Rash
• Dizziness
• Bloating, gas, and constipation
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Indigestion
• In children: vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, dizziness
• In newborns: decreased hemoglobin (shown as abnormal blood test results)

Serious

• Liver problems (hepatotoxicity), which may be preceded by severe rash or allergic reaction symptoms such as fever or swelling
• Severe skin and allergic reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and DRESS (drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms)
• Heart problems, including heart attack or chest pain
• Low blood pressure when standing up (postural hypotension), which can cause dizziness or fainting
• Immune Reconstitution Syndrome, where the immune system reacts to hidden infections after starting treatment
• Possible increased risk of infections or certain cancers due to effects on the immune system

Warnings and precautions

• Selzentry can cause serious, sometimes life-threatening liver damage, which may be preceded by a severe rash or allergic reaction with fever or other symptoms. Your healthcare provider will check your liver with blood tests before and during treatment.
• Severe and potentially life-threatening skin and allergic reactions have occurred, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.
• More heart-related events, including heart attack, were seen in some people who took this medicine, especially those with existing heart disease or risk factors.
• Taking Selzentry with St. John's wort is not recommended, as it can lower the levels of the medicine in your blood and cause the HIV treatment to stop working properly.
• Do not take Selzentry if you have severe kidney problems or are on dialysis and are also taking certain other medications.
• There isn't enough information to know if Selzentry is safe to use during pregnancy. Women who take it while pregnant can be included in a pregnancy registry that tracks outcomes.
• Women with HIV-1 should not breastfeed, because the virus can be passed to the baby through breast milk.
• People with severe kidney problems or kidney failure should not take Selzentry if they are also taking certain other medicines, because levels of the drug can build up too high.
• Selzentry is processed by the liver, so drug levels may be higher in people with liver problems. Extra caution and monitoring may be needed, especially for those with existing liver disease or hepatitis B or C infection.
• It isn't known exactly how alcohol affects this medicine, but drinking alcohol may increase the chance of feeling dizzy while taking it.
• If you feel dizzy while taking Selzentry, avoid driving or using heavy machinery until you know how the medicine affects you.

Storage

• Store SELZENTRY tablets and oral solution at room temperature between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C)
• Throw away any unused oral solution 60 days after first opening the bottle
• Keep SELZENTRY and all medicines out of the reach of children

When to see a doctor

• Stop taking Selzentry and get medical help right away if you notice an itchy rash, yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark or tea-colored urine, vomiting, or pain on the right side of your stomach area, as these can be signs of liver problems.
• Stop using Selzentry and contact your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash along with fever, feeling generally unwell, muscle aches, blisters or sores in the mouth, blistering or peeling skin, red or swollen eyes, or swelling of the mouth, face, or lips.
• Get help immediately if you have trouble breathing, chest pressure, or pain spreading to your arm, shoulder, or jaw, which could be signs of a heart problem.
• Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop new symptoms of infection after starting treatment, since your immune system may begin reacting to hidden infections.
• If you take too much Selzentry, contact your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

Alternatives

• Dolutegravir-based regimens
• Bictegravir-based regimens
• Darunavir-based regimens