darunavir ethanolate at a glance
Medicine class
HIV protease inhibitor
Main use
Combination treatment of HIV-1 infection
Food
Take shortly after completing a meal; the food type is not important
Available forms
Film-coated tablets and oral suspension for people unable to swallow tablets
What is darunavir ethanolate used for?
UK-licensed products are used as part of combination antiretroviral treatment for HIV-1.
Treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults.
Treatment of HIV-1 infection in eligible children and adolescents; suitability depends on age, weight, treatment history and formulation.
Resistance testing may help select treatment in people previously exposed to antiretrovirals.
How does darunavir ethanolate work?
Darunavir blocks HIV-1 protease, preventing infected cells from producing mature, infectious virus particles. Ritonavir or cobicistat slows darunavir breakdown and increases its exposure.
darunavir ethanolate preparations and strengths
Oral suspension
Route: Oral
Strengths: 100 mg/mL
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 800 mg
How to take darunavir ethanolate
Use exactly as labelled by the specialist HIV team. Do not change formulation or stop treatment without discussing it with them.
Take shortly after completing a meal.
Darunavir is not used alone; take all prescribed components as directed.
Shake the oral suspension vigorously before use.
Measure suspension with its supplied oral pipette; do not use the pipette for another product.
darunavir ethanolate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headache
- Rash or itching
- Abdominal discomfort or indigestion
- Tiredness
- Changes in blood lipids, glucose or liver-enzyme results
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe skin reactions
- Serious allergic reaction
- Hepatitis or other liver injury
- Pancreatitis
- Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome
- Kidney injury or crystal nephropathy
darunavir ethanolate in pregnancy
Discuss pregnancy or plans for pregnancy promptly with the specialist HIV team. Darunavir with cobicistat should not be started during pregnancy because exposure falls substantially. Anyone who becomes pregnant while using this combination needs specialist review and an alternative regimen. Ritonavir-boosted darunavir requires individual specialist assessment.
darunavir ethanolate while breastfeeding
Product information advises against breastfeeding because infant exposure and adverse effects are uncertain and HIV can pass through breast milk. UK public-health guidance describes formula feeding as safest. Anyone considering breastfeeding should discuss it early with the specialist perinatal HIV team.
darunavir ethanolate interactions
Darunavir and its enhancer have extensive interactions. Check all prescription, non-prescription, recreational and herbal products before starting or stopping them.
Rifampicin and St John's wort
Can markedly reduce exposure, causing treatment failure and resistance; use together is contraindicated.
Carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital
Can reduce exposure; restrictions differ between ritonavir and cobicistat, with several combinations contraindicated.
Common questions about darunavir ethanolate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is darunavir ethanolate used for?
It is used with other antiretroviral treatments to control HIV-1 infection in adults and eligible children and adolescents.
Why is it given with ritonavir or cobicistat?
These slow darunavir breakdown, helping maintain effective exposure. They also affect which interactions and contraindications apply.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.