Lamivudine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Lamivudine is a hepatitis b virus nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Hepatitis B Virus Nucleoside Analog Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor
- Treats (across its forms)
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Available as
- Tablet · Solution
- Sold as
- 2 products — Lamivudine and Epivir
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $0.44 per ml — not your price
- Boxed warning
- Boxed warning
How Lamivudine is dosed
From the FDA label for Lamivudine (application ANDA202941). Other lamivudine products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Adults: 100 mg, once daily. ( 2.2 ) Pediatric Patients aged 2 to 17 years: 3 mg per kg once daily up to 100 mg once daily. Prescribe oral solution for pediatric patients requiring less than 100 mg daily. ( 2.3 ) Patients with Renal Impairment: Doses of lamivudine tablets (HBV) must be adjusted in accordance with renal function. ( 2.4 ) Lamivudine tablets (HBV) should not be used with other medications that contain lamivudine or emtricitabine. ( 2.5 ) 2.1 HIV Counseling and Testing HIV counseling and testing should be offered to all patients before beginning treatment with Lamivudine tablets (HBV) and periodically during treatment because of the risk of emergence of resistanthuman immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1) and limitation of treatment options if lamivudine tablets (HBV) is prescribed to treat chronic hepatitis B infection in a patient who has unrecognized HIV-1 infection or acquires HIV-1 infection during treatment [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) ]. 2.2 Recommended Dosage for Adult Patients The recommended oral dosage of lamivudine tablets (HBV) is 100 mg once daily. 2.3 Recommended Dosage for Pediatric Patients The recommended oral dosage of lamivudine tablets (HBV) for pediatric patients aged 2 to 17 years is 3 mg per kg once daily up to a maximum daily dosage of 100 mg. The oral solution formulation should be prescribed for patients requiring a dosage less…
Everything below is the FDA label for Lamivudine (tablet). Lamivudine is also sold as solution, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Lamivudine side effects
The following adverse reactions are discussed in other sections of the labeling: Exacerbations of hepatitis B after discontinuation of treatment [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ) ]. Risk of emergence of resistant HIV-1 infection [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) ]. Risk of emergence of resistant HBV infection [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3) ]. Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 ) ]. The most common reported adverse reactions in those receiving lamivudine tablets (HBV) (incidence greater than or equal to 10% and reported at a rate greater than placebo) were ear, nose, and throat infections; sore throat; and diarrhea. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Apotex Corp. at 1-800-706-5575 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared with rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice. Clinical Trials Experience in Adult Subjects with Chronic HBV Infection Clinical adverse reactions (regardless of investigator’s causality assessment) reported in greater than or equal to 10% of subjects who received lamivudine tablets (HBV) and reported at a…
Who shouldn’t take Lamivudine
Lamivudine tablets (HBV) are contraindicated in patients with a previous hypersensitivity reaction to lamivudine. Lamivudine tablets (HBV) is contraindicated in patients with previous hypersensitivity reaction to lamivudine. ( 4 )
Lamivudine drug interactions
Sorbitol: Coadministration of lamivudine and sorbitol may result in decreased lamivudine concentrations; when possible, avoid chronic coadministration. Consider more frequent monitoring of HBV viral load when chronic coadministration cannot be avoided. ( 7.2 ) 7.1 Drugs Inhibiting Organic Cation Transporters Lamivudine is predominantly eliminated in the urine by active organic cationic secretion. The possibility of interactions with other drugs administered concurrently should be considered, particularly when their main route of elimination is active renal secretion via the organic cationic transport system (e.g., trimethoprim) [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . No data are available regarding interactions with other drugs that have renal clearance mechanisms similar to that of lamivudine. 7.2 Sorbitol Coadministration of single doses of lamivudine and sorbitol resulted in a sorbitol dose-dependent reduction in lamivudine exposures. When possible, avoid use of sorbitol-containing medicines with lamivudine [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . Consider more frequent monitoring of HBV viral load when chronic coadministration cannot be avoided.
Every lamivudine product we track (2)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 66/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Solution | Generic | $0 | View → |
What lamivudine pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
| Imprint | Strength | Colour | Shape | Maker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TMT | 150 mg | white | round | — |
| L300 | 300 mg | white | round | — |
| APO;LMV;150 | 150 mg | white | diamond | — |
Combination products containing lamivudine
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
How long lamivudine keeps
No lamivudine label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does lamivudine expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsLamivudine and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for lamivudine: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadLamivudine has been well studied in HIV-positive nursing mothers and appears to be well tolerated by their breastfed infants. It has not been studied in HIV-negative nursing mothers being treated for hepatitis B infection, but the low doses used would not be expected to cause any serious adverse effects in breastfed infants. The manufacturer estimates that a breastfed infant's dose would be about 6% of the infant dose for children over 2 years of age. Achieving and maintaining viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy decreases breastfeeding transmission risk to less than 1%, but not zero. Individuals with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy with a sustained undetectable viral load and who choose to breastfeed should be supported in this decision. If a viral load is not suppressed, banked pasteurized donor milk or formula is recommended. Extended postnatal prophylaxis of breastfed infants with lamivudine should continue until breastfeeding is stopped.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised December 15, 2025. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about lamivudine
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 35,104 reports naming lamivudine, and the FDA flagged 96% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- foetal exposure during pregnancy2,760 reports
- virologic failure2,439 reports
- pathogen resistance2,236 reports
- drug resistance2,190 reports
- viral mutation identified2,090 reports
- exposure during pregnancy1,645 reports
- pyrexia1,507 reports
- treatment failure1,320 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean lamivudine caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 25, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Lamivudine?
Lamivudine tablets (HBV) is a synthetic nucleoside analogue with activity against HBV. The drug substance used in lamivudine tablets (HBV) is lamivudine in the form of lamivudine methanol solvate.
What kind of drug is lamivudine?
The FDA classifies lamivudine as a hepatitis b virus nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take lamivudine with other medicines?
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 lamivudine against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is lamivudine sold under?
We track 2 lamivudine-containing products in the U.S.: Lamivudine and Epivir. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does lamivudine come in?
Across the brands we track, lamivudine is currently marketed as tablet and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic lamivudine?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic 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.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Lamivudine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/lamivudine
- MLA
- “Lamivudine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/lamivudine.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for lamivudine on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.