Abacavir/lamividune combination in the treatment of HIV-1 infection: a review

Consensus guidelines for the management of HIV infection recommend the use of two nucleoside analogues in combination with either a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor or a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor in therapy-naive patients. As adherence is crucial for treatment success, regimens with fewer pills, simpler dosing schedules and fewer adverse events have become the first choice for antiretroviral therapy. Fixed-dose combinations further improve the convenience of therapy. There are three dual-nucleoside fixed-dose combinations licensed for treating HIV-infected individuals, which include a combination of abacavir and lamivudine. This article reviews the pharmacology, efficacy, resistance profiles, safety and tolerability of abacavir focussing on its use in combination with lamivudine and discusses the role of this nucleoside backbone in antiretroviral therapy.