See also: CCR5, CXCR4, and CD4 Blockers, and Other Attachment Inhibitors; Entry Inhibitors; Maturation Inhibitors; Integrase Inhibitors; Research to Cure HIV Infection; Immune-Based Therapies; Vaccines to Prevent and Treat HIV Infection

General Information about HIV Medications

• HIV Drug Chart.  Chart from Positively Aware’s Drug Guide with basic information about each antiretroviral drug and combination pill or tablet approved by FDA.  For each drug or combination, the chart includes: its brand name, generic name, and common abbreviations used; detailed dosing information; and a color image.
• Treatments for HIV and AIDS.  Web page from Poz that lists FDA-approved antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), as well as selected experimental drugs.  For each drug or combination, the page includes: a small color picture of the pill or tablet, its brand name, generic name, and common abbreviations; and a link to an associated web page with more detailed information about drug, including what it is, how it is dosed, and drug interactions and side effects.

Selected Recent Articles About New and Experimental Drugs

Please Note:  The articles below focus mainly on new antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and treatment strategies that involve ARVs.  We have developed separate pages for other types of HIV drugs and treatment strategies, including Immune-Based Therapies, Vaccines to Prevent and Treat HIV Infection, and Research to Cure HIV Infection.  Please visit those pages for information about immune-based treatments, vaccines, and cure research.

• Ask A Pharmacist: With a new tenofovir, should you switch to Descovy, Genvoya or Odefsey?  (September 2016, Beta Blog)
• Computer-based screen identifies new antiviral targets for existing drugs.  (September 2016, Healio)
• Most Study Participants Were Satisfied with a New Long-Acting Injectable HIV Regimen.  (September 2016, TheBodyPro)
• Gilead Signs Deal With Biotech Company to Develop HIV Antibody Treatment.  (August 2016, Poz)
• Grants to “Deep Freeze” Latent HIV and Develop a New Class of Inhibitors.  (August 2016, Poz)
• AIDS 2016: Undetectable with long-acting, user-friendly injectable HIV medications.  (August 2016, Beta Blog)
• Researchers Identify New Potential HIV Drug Target.  (August 2016, Poz)
• Tenofovir Levels in Blood 4-Fold Higher With TAF Than TDF.  (July 2016, TheBodyPro)
• Monthly Dosing Drug Raises Hopes and Concerns.  (July 2016, MedPage Today)
• Long-acting injectable drugs work well for HIV maintenance therapy.  (July 2016, AIDSmap)
• HIV will only be cured with combinations too, conference delegates hear.  (July 2016, AIDSmap)
• New integrase inhibitor bictegravir looks promising in early studies.  (July 2016, AIDSmap); related coverage from Poz
• Switching from tenofovir DF to TAF improves bone and kidney safety.  (July 2016, AIDSmap)
• Gene Scissors Thwart HIV in Latent CD4 Cells, But Mutations Make Virus Stronger.  (July 2016, TheBodyPro)
• The HIV Treatment Pipeline.  (June 2016, Poz)
• Investigational Integrase Inhibitor Bictegravir Safe and Effective Against HIV in Early Study.  (June 2016, TheBodyPro)
• Weekly PRO 140 Antibody Injections May Work as HIV Maintenance Therapy.  (June 2016, TheBodyPro); related coverage from Healio and MedPage Today
• Video: Alan Taege, MD, reviews recently approved agents for HIV.  (May 2016, Healio)
• $75K Campbell Grant to Study Long-Acting Treatment That Targets HIV Reservoirs.  (May 2016, Poz)
• Maybe CRISPR Gene Editing Won’t Be Such an Easy Way to Attack HIV After All.  (April 2016, Poz)
• New attachment inhibitor showing promise for treatment experienced patients.  (April 2016, Project Inform)
• Switching to regimen with new form of tenofovir (TAF) improves kidney and bone health markers.  (April 2016, Project Inform)
• Long-acting oral antiretroviral MK-8591 could represent ‘paradigm shift’ in HIV treatment and prophylaxis.  (April 2016, AIDSmap)
• Reflection on bNAbs [broadly neutralizing antibodies] and Broadening the Toolbox.  (March 2016, AVAC)
• A step closer to long-term HIV remission with a TLR7 agonist (March 2016, Beta Blog); related coverage from AIDSmap
• Early results show doravirine regimen as effective as efavirenz regimen.  (March 2016, Project Inform)
• Injectable Long-Acting Isentress as PrEP Protects Mice Against Vaginal HIV Exposure.  (March 2016, Poz)
• New NRTI MK-8591 (EFdA): weekly oral dosing and once-yearly slow-release dosing has potential for HIV treatment and PrEP.  (March 2016, HIV Treatment Bulletin)
• Researchers Edit HIV Out of Infected Cells.  (March 2016, Poz)
• New single tablet regimen Odefsey approved for treating HIV infection. (March 2016, Project Inform); related coverage from Beta Blog, Healio, and Poz
• New HIV treatments discussed at CROI 2016. (March 2016, Beta Blog)
• Injectable long-acting cabotegravir shows promise as PrEP in early safety trial. (February 2016, Poz); related coverage from AIDSmap and abstract from 2016 Retrovirus Conference
• Innovations in antiretroviral therapy delivery. (February 2016, Retrovirus Conference)
• Long-acting injectable cabotegravir + rilpivirine works well as HIV maintenance therapy.  (February 2016, AIDSmap); related coverage from Poz, Project Inform, and TheBody
• Maraviroc-containing regimens safe, tolerable when taken for HIV prevention (February 2016, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases); related coverage by Poz and AIDSmap
• Supercharging NK cells for cure. (February 2016, Retrovirus Conference)
• Switching to emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (F/TAF) maintains viral suppression with better bone and kidney safety. (February 2016, TheBody); related coverage from AIDSmap
• Tenofovir twin continues to perform well. (February 2016, MedPage Today)
• What is a drug “tail,” and what does it have to do with long-acting PrEP? (February 2016, Beta Blog)
• What’s on the horizon? New PrEP options presented at Retrovirus Conference 2016. (February 2016, Beta Blog)
• Combination nanotherapy drastically reduces the amount of HIV produced by cells in mice. (February 2016, AIDSmap)
• Toward an AIDS-Free Generation: Can Antibodies Help?  (January 2016, NIH Director’s Blog)
• IV and Injectable HIV Treatments Are Much Discussed – But Won’t Be Here Anytime Soon.  (January 2016, Journal Watch)
• Antibody Infusion Successfully Combats HIV in Early Trial.  (January 2016, Poz)
• New Tenofovir Worth Only an Extra $1,000 a Year Over Old Version.  (December 2015, Poz)
• First TAF-based HIV regimen simplifies treatment, reduces toxicity.  (December 2015, Healio)
• Discussion of HIV prevention strategies generates ‘enthusiasm and excitement.’  (December 2015, Healio)
• ViiV to Buy Bristol-Myers Squibb’s HIV Drugs in Development.  (December 2015, Poz)
• Tenofovir alafenamide fumarate at what price? No more than $1000 a year above existing tenofovir formulation, says model.  (December 2015, AIDSmap)
• Cabotegravir/Rilpivirine Maintains HIV Control After 24 Weeks of Induction.  (December 2015, TheBodyPro)
• Widely-used anti-alcoholism drug wakes up dormant HIV-infected cells.  (November 2015, AIDSmap)
• Four- and Eight-Week HIV Treatments Show Promise.  (November 2015, Poz)
• FDA OKs Gilead’s Genvoya, First HIV Combo Pill With New Tenofovir.  (November 2015, Poz)
• A Tale of Two Diagnoses.  (November 2015, Poz)
• More Good Marks for New Stribild With Updated Tenofovir.  (October 2015, Poz)
• HIV maturation inhibitor BMS-955176 shows good safety and efficacy in phase 2a trial.  (October 2015, AIDSmap)
• Bristol-Myers Squibb’s HIV Maturation Inhibitor Shows Promise.  (October 2015, Poz)
• Tenofovir alafenamide single-tablet regimen shows good efficacy with improved kidney and bone safety.  (October 2015, AIDSmap)
• BMS to Fund Three Research Projects Seeking HIV and Hepatitis Cures.  (October 2015, Hepmag)
• Studies continued to support tenofovir alafenamide combination pill as it nears US approval.  (October 2015, AIDSmap)
• HIV attachment inhibitor BMS-663068 matches atazanavir in phase 2b study.  (October 2015, AIDSmap)
• ICAAC 2015: Stribild Superior for Women; Better Safety & Efficacy of TAF.  (October, 2015, Beta Blog)
• New antiretrovirals and HIV treatment strategies highlighted at ICAAC.  (October 2015, AIDSmap)
• Gene Therapy Controls HIV Longer Than Four Months in Study.  (September 2015, Poz)
• Single-Tablet HIV Regimen Containing Tenofovir Alafenamide Improves Bone and Kidney Safety.  (September 2015, TheBodyPro)
• Five Promising HIV Drugs in the Pipeline.  (September 2015, TheBodyPro)
• On the Cure Front, More Drugs Appear to Spur Latent HIV.  (September 2015, Poz)
• Discovering an Antibody With Refined Abilities to Combat HIV.  (September 2015, Poz)
• Cabotegravir plus Edurant provides viral suppression in non-antiretroviral population.  (August 2015, Healio)
• People with HIV and hepatitis B co-infection can safely switch to simpler TAF single-tablet regimen.  (August 2015, AIDSmap)
• Weekly Injectable HIV Antibody Treatment Shows Promise.  (August 2015, Poz)
• Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF) Still Noninferior to Current Tenofovir – With Better Bone/Kidney Signals.  (August 2015, TheBodyPro)
• New Antiretrovirals, New Formulations, and New Strategies for HIV Treatment.  (August 2015, Beta Blog)
• What’s the Next Big Question in HIV Treatment?  (July 2015, TheBodyPro)
• Updated Tenofovir Is Safer for Bones and Kidneys.  (July 2015, Poz)
• Switching to new tenofovir alafenamide keeps virus in check and improves kidney and bone health.  (July 2015, AIDSmap)
• New HIV Med Doravirine Has Half of Sustiva’s Side Effect Rate.  (July 2015, Poz)
• HIV Antiretroviral Study Highlights From IAS 2015.  (July 2015, TheBodyPro)
• New NNRTI Doravirine Suppresses HIV as Well as Efavirenz but with Fewer Central Nervous System Side-Effects.  (July 2015, AIDSmap)
• BMS HIV Attachment Inhibitor Gets FDA Breakthrough Nod.  (July 2015, Poz)
• Next-generation maturation inhibitor BMS-955176 shows good antiviral activity in combination with atazanavir.  (July 2015, AIDSmap)
• New maturation inhibitor BMS 176 shows potent control of HIV in small study.  (July 2015, Project Inform)
• New NNRTI doravirine as effective as efavirenz in people new to HIV treatment in early study.  (July 2015, Project Inform)
• Targets proliferate in HIV cure research.  (July 2015, AIDSmap)
• New drug holds out promise of long-term control or even cure of HIV.  (July 2015, AIDSmap)
• Keeping Latent HIV Dormant May Lead to Functional Cure.  (July 2015, Poz)
• Gilead Seeks FDA OK for 3rd Combo Pill With New Tenofovir.  (July 2015, Poz)
• Success for Anti-HIV Gene Therapy in Mice.  (July 2015, Poz)
• Blocking HIV’s Sugar Supply Inhibits Replication.  (June 2015, TheBodyPro)
• ViiV 2-Drug HIV Regimen Entering Phase III Trials.  (May 2015, Poz)
• NIH awards $7.5 million to Penn Medicine for HIV gene therapy.  (May 2015, Healio)
• PrEP-Delivering Subdermal Implant Shows Promise in Animal Study.  (May 2015, Poz)
• NIH Funds Research Into ‘Kick and Kill’ HIV Cure Strategy.  (April 2015, Poz)
• New and Improved Tenofovir Combination Submitted for FDA Approval.  (April 2015, TheBodyPro)
• An “Improved Backbone” for New HIV Regimens Now Under FDA Review.  (April 2015, Beta Blog)
• Gilead Applies for FDA Approval of New Version of Truvada.  (April 2015, Poz)
• Effective Two-Drug HIV Regimen Sets Stage for Long-Acting Treatment.  (April 2015, Poz)
• Compound Found to Block HIV Receptors in Monkeys.  (April 2015, Beta Blog)
• Herpes Drug Valtrex (Valacyclovir) Found to Suppress HIV.  (March 2015, Poz)
• Cabotegravir and rilpivirine effective for HIV maintenance therapy at 96 weeks.  (March 2015, AIDSmap)
• HIV maintenance regimen of cabotegravir and rilpivirine looks promising.  (March 2015, Project Inform)
• New form of tenofovir TAF looks to be easier on bone and kidney health to the current TDF.  (March 2015, Project Inform)
• New HIV maturation inhibitor BMS-955176 appears more potent than earlier beviramat.  (March 2015, Project Inform)
• HIV attachment inhibitor BMS-663068 safe and effective in phase 2b study.  (March 2015, AIDSmap)
• Tenofovir Alafenamide and a New Maturation Inhibitor.  (March 2015, Beta Blog)
• Tenofovir alafenamide equally effective but safer for kidneys and bones than current formulation.  (February 2015, AIDSmap)
• HIV maturation inhibitor BMS-955176 looks promising in early study.  (February 2015, AIDSmap)
• Primate Studies Raise Hope of Eventual Quarterly Injected PrEP.  (January 2015, Poz)
• It’s Time for Tenofovir 2.0.  (December 2014, Poz)
• New Potential HIV Treatment Target Is Discovered.  (November 2014, Poz)
• What 2014 Development Has the Biggest Impact on HIV Care?  (November 2014, TheBodyPro)
• Doravirine works as well as efavirenz with fewer CNS side-effects.  (November 2014, AIDSmap)
• Doravirine Study Suggests 100-mg Dose Effective Against Mutant HIV Strains, Too.  (November 2014, TheBodyPro)
• Injectable cabotegravir makes progress towards human efficacy studies: doubts about injectable rilpivirine.  (October 2014, AIDSmap)
• BMS-986001 Bone, Metabolic Data Compare Well to Tenofovir Through 48 Weeks.  (October 2014, TheBodyPro)
• Antiretroviral studies at ICAAC 2014: darunavir-based FDC with TAF, cobicistat, doravirine, Stribild and gel formulation PrEP.  (September/October, HIV Treatment Bulletin)
• HIV Combo Pill Less Toxic Thanks to New Form of Tenofovir.  (September 2014, Poz)
• The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) Broadens Collaboration With Gilead Sciences: Signs License for Phase III Medicine Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF) (July 2014, TheBodyPro)
• Janssen and ViiV Team Up for New Single-Tablet HIV Regimen.  (June 2014, Poz)
• New HIV-Fighting Protein Found in Coral Reefs.  (May 2014, Poz)
• Investigational protease inhibitor TMC310911 highly potent in phase 2 study.  (May 2014, AIDSmap)
• Jetsons-Era HIV Care and Prevention.  (April 2014, Poz)
• New Anti-HIV Compounds Discovered.  (December 2013, Poz)
• Building a Better HIV Drug: Nano-Formulated Medicines.  (December 2013, TheBodyPro)
• Long-Acting HIV Drugs Could Extend Lives of Low Adherers.  (November 2013, Poz)
• Future HIV care will include both novel antiretroviral drugs and new treatment strategies.  (October 2013, AIDSmap)
• Integrase Inhibitor GSK744 Safe, Effective as Once-Daily Oral Pill.  (October 2013, TheBodyPro)
• Cenicriviroc Shows Good Virologic Success, Tolerability Compared to Efavirenz.  (October 2013, TheBodyPro)
• New integrase inhibitor GSK1265744 safe and well tolerated in eight studies.  (October 2013, AIDSmap)
• Newly Found HIV Replication Pathway May Lead to New Drugs.  (October 2013, Poz)
• Antifungal Drug Shows Promise Fighting HIV in the Lab.  (September 2013, Poz)
• Novel NNRTI AIC292 works well against drug-resistant HIV.  (September 2013, AIDSmap)
• New NNRTI MK-1439 interacts with ritonavir but not tenofovir.  (September 2013, AIDSmap)
• Compound in Soybeans May Fight HIV.  (August 2013, Poz)
• Once-a-Month HIV Meds Show Promise in Early Trial.  (July 2013, Poz)
• Nanoparticles May Transport HIV Meds to the Brain.  (May 2013, Poz)
• Synthetic Compounds From Marijuana Appear to Fight HIV.  (May 2013, Poz)
• Bee Venom: The Next Anti-HIV Agent? A Proof-of-Concept Study Says Yes.  (March 2013, Poz)