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Single Dose Abacavir Pharmacokinetics and Safety in Neonates Exposed to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Adrie Bekker1, Eric H Decloedt2, Gretchen Slade1

  • 1Family Centre for Research with Ubuntu, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.

Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
|July 23, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Abacavir shows promise for preventing and treating HIV in newborns. Early studies indicate higher drug exposure in neonates, with no adverse events observed.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric pharmacology
  • Infectious disease research
  • Neonatal care

Background:

  • Abacavir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used for HIV treatment.
  • Limited data exists on abacavir's use in the neonatal population.
  • Neonatal prophylaxis and treatment strategies for HIV require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic profile of abacavir in neonates.
  • To determine abacavir exposure levels in infants under 15 days of life.

Main Methods:

  • A single dose of abacavir (8 mg/kg) was administered to ten neonates.
  • Abacavir exposure was assessed in neonates within the first 15 days of life.

Main Results:

  • Neonates exhibited substantially higher abacavir exposures compared to older infants and children.
  • No adverse events were reported in the neonates who received abacavir.

Conclusions:

  • Abacavir administration in neonates resulted in higher drug exposure than anticipated.
  • The findings suggest a potential role for abacavir in neonatal HIV prophylaxis and treatment, warranting further study.

Keywords:
HIVabacavirneonatespharmacokinetics

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