Health Centres - Telzir (fosamprenavir)
How does it work?
Telzir tablets and oral suspension contain fosamprenavir calcium. Fosamprenavir is a known as a pro-drug, which means it is converted into the active medicine once it is inside the body. Fosamprenavir is converted into amprenavir, which is a type of medicine called a protease inhibitor. It is used in the treatment of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection.
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is caused by infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). This virus invades cells of the immune system, particularly the white blood cells known as CD4 T-helper lymphocytes. These cells normally activate other cells in the immune system to fight infection. Since HIV kills CD4 T-helper cells, the body cannot fight the virus or subsequent infections.
Once the virus is inside the CD4 T-cell it multiplies, producing numerous copies of itself. An enzyme produced by the HIV virus, called protease, plays an important role in this process. Protease breaks up new protein produced by the virus, so that new copies of the virus can be assembled from the pieces. If this enzyme is stopped from working, any new virus that is produced is faulty and unable to infect more CD4 cells. Protease inhibitors, such as amprenavir, work by stopping the protease enzyme from working.
There is no cure for HIV, but amprenavir is one of a number of medicines that slows the progression of the disease from HIV to AIDS. Amprenavir is used in conjunction with other anti-HIV medicines that attack the virus in different ways. This minimises the chance of the virus becoming resistant to any one medicine.
Low-doses of the protease inhibitor ritonavir must be used in combination with this medicine. The ritonavir increases the blood level of amprenavir, which boosts its effect and therefore reduces the dose of Telzir that is needed.
What is it used for?
Warning!
- Telzir oral suspension should be taken without food and on an empty stomach. Telzir tablets may be taken with or without food.
- The HIV virus is very good at becoming resistant to anti-HIV medicines. For this reason it is very important that you carefully follow your doctor's instructions for taking your anti-HIV medicines, in order to maintain effective levels of the medicines in your blood. If the blood levels drop, the virus will be given more chance to replicate and develop resistance to the drugs. Skipping even a few doses increases the risk of treatment failure, so you should try to ensure that you take all your doses at the correct time, and that you visit your doctor for repeat prescriptions before you run out.
- Treatment of HIV infection with anti-HIV medicines such as this one does not reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to other people through sexual contact or blood contamination.
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