mmatory symptoms should be eva luated and treatment instituted when necessary.
Autoimmune disorders (such as Graves' disease and autoimmune hepatitis) have also been reported to occur in the setting of immune reactivation; however, the reported time to onset is more variable and these events can occur many months after initiation of treatment.
Opportunistic infections
Patients should be advised that Biktarvy or any other antiretroviral therapy does not cure HIV infection and that they may still develop opportunistic infections and other complications of HIV infection. Therefore patients should remain under close clinical observation by physicians experienced in the treatment of patients with HIV associated diseases.
Osteonecrosis
Although the aetiology is considered to be multifactorial (including corticosteroid use, alcohol consumption, severe immunosuppression, higher body mass index), cases of osteonecrosis have been reported particularly in patients with advanced HIV disease and/or long-term exposure to CART. Patients should be advised to seek medical advice if they experience joint aches and pain, joint stiffness or difficulty in movement.
Nephrotoxicity
A potential risk of nephrotoxicity resulting from chronic exposure to low levels of tenofovir due to dosing with tenofovir alafenamide cannot be excluded (see section 5.3).
Co-administration of other medicinal products
Biktarvy should not be co-administered simultaneously with magnesium/aluminium-containing antacids or iron supplements under fasted conditions. Biktarvy should be administered at least 2 hours before, or with food 2 hours after antacids containing magnesium and/or aluminium. Biktarvy should be administered at least 2 hours before iron supplements, or taken together with food (see section 4.5).
Some medicinal products are not recommended for co-administration with Biktarvy: atazanavir, boceprevir, carbamazepine, ciclosporin (IV or oral use), oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifabutin, rifapentine, or sucralfate.
Biktarvy should not be co-administered with other antiretroviral medicinal products.
4.5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction
Interaction studies have only been performed in adults.
Biktarvy should not be administered concomitantly with medicinal products containing tenofovir alafenamide, tenofovir disoproxil, lamivudine or adefovir dipivoxil used for the treatment of HBV infection.
Bictegravir
Bictegravir is a substrate of CYP3A and UGT1A1. Co-administration of bictegravir and medicinal products that potently induce both CYP3A and UGT1A1, such as rifampicin or St. John's wort, may significantly decrease plasma concentrations of bictegravir, which may result in a loss of therapeutic effect of Biktarvy and development of resistance, therefore co-administration is contraindicated (see section 4.3). Co-administration of bictegravir with medicinal products that potently inhibit both CYP3A and UGT1A1, such as atazanavir, may significantly increase plasma concentrations of bictegravir, therefore co-administration is not recommended.
Bictegravir is both a P-gp and a BCRP substrate. The clinical relevance of this feature is not established. Therefore, caution is recommended when bictegravir is combined with medicinal products known to inhibit P-gp and/or BCRP (e.g. macrolides, ciclosporin, verapamil, dronedarone, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir) |
