Emtricitabine/tenofovir/efavirenz

Emtricitabine/tenofovir/efavirenz (INNs, trade name Atripla) is a fixed-dose combination drug for the treatment of HIV infection. It combines Gilead Sciences's tenofovir and emtricitabine (already available in the anti-HIV combination Truvada) with Bristol-Myers Squibb's efavirenz into a fixed-dose pill. Combining the three drugs into a single, once-daily pill reduces pill burden and simplifies dosing schedules, and therefore has the potential to increase adherence to antiretroviral therapy.

Atripla is the first multi-class antiretroviral drug available in the United States and represents the first collaboration between two U.S. pharmaceutical companies to combine their patented anti-HIV drugs into one product.^[1] The drug retails in the United States for US$1,850 for a one-month supply. As of 2007, annual cost in India is US$1,344, and US$528 in Africa. It was approved by the U.S. FDA on July 12, 2006. In the UK, the drug cost to the NHS is GB£626.90 per month^[2] as of March 2012.

Atripla is a fixed dose combination of 600 mg efavirenz, 245 mg tenofovir, and 200 mg emtricitabine. In adults, it is taken once daily on an empty stomach. Dosing at bedtime is recommended to improve tolerability of nervous system symptoms. Atripla is not recommended for patients under 18 years of age.

Atripla is a pink, film-coated tablet with "123" impressed on one side.

In North America and Europe, Atripla is marketed jointly by Gilead Sciences and Bristol-Myers Squibb, but in much of the developing world, marketing and distribution is handled by Merck & Co.^[3] Cipla released its own version of Atripla in India, called Viraday. In Argentina, Atripla is marketed by Laboratorios Gador.