Lamivudine

Definition

A synthetic nucleoside analogue with activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV. Intracellularly, lamivudine is phosphorylated to its active metabolites, lamiduvine triphosphate (L-TP) and lamiduvine monophosphate (L-MP). In HIV, L-TP inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) via DNA chain termination after incorporation of the nucleoside analogue into viral DNA. In HBV, incorporation of L-MP into viral DNA by HBV polymerase results in DNA chain termination. L-TP is a weak inhibitor of mammalian DNA polymerases alpha and beta, and mitochondrial DNA polymerase. (NCI04)

Also known as (-)-BCH-189, 2',3'-Dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine, 3'-Thia-2',3'-dideoxycytidine, 3TC, 4-Amino-1-((2R,5S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)-2(1H)-pyrimidinone, Epivir, GR109714X, LAM, LAMIVUDINE — per NCIT

Also identified as

• ATC J05AF per NCIT
• ATC J05AR per NCIT
• NCIT NCIT:C1471 per NCIT

Indications