Abacavir, Dolutegravir, Lamivudine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

The elimination half-life of abacavir, dolutegravir, lamivudine is about 14 hours — that is how long the body takes to clear half of a dose. This is the terminal (elimination) half-life, which the TIVICAY label gives as "approximately 14 hours," based on population pharmacokinetic analyses; the label reports no separate distribution-phase half-life. Dolutegravir is not a prodrug, and the label describes no active metabolite — it is metabolized mainly by UGT1A1 (with some CYP3A) to an ether glucuronide and oxidative metabolites that the label does not characterize as active, and just over half the dose leaves unchanged in the feces. On populations the label names: age had no clinically relevant effect on dolutegravir pharmacokinetics; mild and moderate kidney impairment had no clinically relevant effect on exposure, and in severe kidney impairment (CrCl under 30 mL/min) exposure was actually lower, not higher (AUC down 40%), with too little information to recommend dosing in people on dialysis; in moderate liver impairment (Child-Pugh B) exposure was similar to healthy controls, and severe liver impairment (Child-Pugh C) has not been studied. The label frames these as changes in exposure rather than stating a revised half-life for each group. People with UGT1A1 genotypes conferring poor metabolism had 32% lower clearance and 46% higher AUC. This figure describes how long the drug itself is cleared from plasma — it is not a drug-test detection window (metabolites can be detected far longer) and not dosing guidance. Half-life is not the same as how long a drug test can detect the drug, and it varies with age, kidney and liver function.

It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run abacavir, dolutegravir, lamivudine against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.

Across the brands we track, abacavir, dolutegravir, lamivudine is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.

Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic abacavir, dolutegravir, lamivudine product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.