Description
TAF/FTC for PrEP (generic version of Descovy)
TAF/FTC is used for the treatment and prevention of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection. It is a fixed-dose combination drug similar to Truvada but with a slightly different formulation.
Each bottle contains 30 pills.
The active ingredients in TAF/FTC are:
- Emtricitabine (FTC): Just like in Truvada, emtricitabine is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that inhibits the reverse transcriptase enzyme in HIV, preventing viral replication.
- Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF): In contrast to Truvada’s tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), TAF/FTC contains tenofovir alafenamide (TAF). TAF is a newer prodrug of tenofovir that is more potent and has a lower impact on kidney and bone health compared to TDF. It effectively converts to its active form, tenofovir diphosphate, within HIV-infected cells.
Like Truvada, TAF/FTC is used both as part of combination therapy for the treatment of HIV-positive individuals and as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for individuals at high risk of contracting HIV.
