Emtricitabine

Emtricitabine (commonly called FTC, systematic name 2',3'-dideoxy-5-fluoro-3'-thiacytidine[1]), with trade name Emtriva (formerly Coviracil), is a nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection in adults and children. See also [1].

Emtricitabine is also marketed in a fixed-dose combination with tenofovir disoproxil (Viread) under the brand name Truvada, and with tenofovir alafenamide (Vemlidy) under the brand name Descovy.

A fixed-dose triple combination of emtricitabine, tenofovir and efavirenz (Sustiva, marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 12, 2006, under the brand name Atripla.

Emtricitabine is an analogue of cytidine. The drug works by inhibiting reverse transcriptase, the enzyme that copies HIV RNA into new viral DNA. By interfering with this process, which is central to the replication of HIV, emtricitabine can help to lower the amount of HIV, or "viral load", in a patient's body and can indirectly increase the number of immune system cells (namely T cells/CD4+ T-cells). Both of these changes are associated with healthier immune systems and decreased likelihood of serious illness.

at reverse transcriptase (2no6). Water molecules are shown as red spheres.