Famciclovir

Famciclovir
Clinical data
Pronunciation/ˌfæmˈsaɪkloʊˌvɪər/[1]
Trade namesFamvir
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
MedlinePlusa694038
Pregnancy
category
  • AU: B1
Routes of
administration		By mouth
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability75–77%
Protein binding20–25%
MetabolismLiver, circulation, intestinal wall (to penciclovir)
Elimination half-life2–2.3 hours
ExcretionKidney, faecal
Identifiers
  • 2-[(acetyloxy)methyl]-4-(2-amino-9H-purin-9-yl)butyl acetate
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.158.713 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC14H19N5O4
Molar mass321.337 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
Melting point103 °C (217 °F)
  • O=C(OCC(COC(=O)C)CCn1c2nc(ncc2nc1)N)C
  • InChI=1S/C14H19N5O4/c1-9(20)22-6-11(7-23-10(2)21)3-4-19-8-17-12-5-16-14(15)18-13(12)19/h5,8,11H,3-4,6-7H2,1-2H3,(H2,15,16,18) checkY
  • Key:GGXKWVWZWMLJEH-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  (verify)

Famciclovir is a guanosine analogue antiviral drug used for the treatment of various herpesvirus infections, most commonly for herpes zoster (shingles). It is a prodrug form of penciclovir with improved oral bioavailability. Famciclovir is marketed under the trade name Famvir (Novartis).

Famciclovir was patented in 1983 and approved for medical use in 1994.[3][4] In 2007, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic version of famciclovir. Generic tablets are manufactured by TEVA Pharmaceuticals and Mylan Pharmaceuticals.[5][6]

  1. ^ "Famciclovir". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2016-01-22.
  2. ^ "Prescription medicines: registration of new generic medicines and biosimilar medicines, 2017". Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 21 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  3. ^ Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG (2012). Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Disease. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 1502. ISBN 978-1437727029.
  4. ^ Fischer J, Ganellin CR (2006). Analogue-based Drug Discovery. John Wiley & Sons. p. 504. ISBN 9783527607495.
  5. ^ "Recent Product Launches, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA". Archived from the original on 2011-11-08. Retrieved 2008-02-21.[better source needed]
  6. ^ "Mylan Launches Generic Version of Famvir® Tablets" (Press release). Mylan. 20 April 2011. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011.