Telzir tablets contain fosamprenavir which belongs to a group of antiretroviral medicines called protease inhibitors.

The low doses of ritonavir you take together with Telzir are designed to increase the amount of the active ingredient, amprenavir, available to control your HIV infection.

Telzir, taken with ritonavir, are used together with other antiretroviral medicines to slow down the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, which can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other related illnesses (eg AIDS-related Complex or ARC).

Telzir does not cure AIDS or kill the HIV virus, but prevents further damage to the immune system by stopping production of new viruses.

Telzir does not reduce the risk of passing the infection to others. You will still be able to pass on the HIV virus by sexual activity or by contamination with infected blood. You should still use proper precautions to prevent this.

While taking Telzir and/or any other therapy for HIV disease, you may continue to develop other infections and other complications of HIV infection. You should keep in regular contact with the doctor who is looking after you.

Telzir tablets are not addictive.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Telzir tablets have been prescribed for you.

Some medicines may affect the way others work. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to tell you what to do when taking Telzir tablets with other medicines.

Telzir and ritonavir may interact with certain other medications. The use of the following medicines, together with the Telzir /ritonavir combination, should only take place on the basis of medical advice: antibiotics (i.e. rifabutin, clarithromycin, dapsone and erythromycin), antifungals (i.e. ketoconazole, itraconazole), antimalarials (i.e. halofantrine), benzodiazepines (i.e. alprazolam and clorazepam), calcium channel blockers (i.e. diltiazem, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, felodipine, verapamil, amlodipine, and isradipine), cholesterol lowering agents (i.e. atorvastatin, lovastatin and simvastatin), erectile dysfunction agents (i.e. sildenafil), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (i.e. efavirenz, nevirapine and delavirdine), opioids (i.e. methadone), steroids (i.e. oestrogens, progestogens and some glucocorticoids), Immunosuppressants (ie cyclosporin, tacrolimus), Inhaled/nasal steroid (ie fluticasone), and other substances (i.e. clozapine, carbamazepine, famotidine, nizatidine, ranitidine, cimetidine, paroxetine and loratadine) and ergot derivatives (ie Dihydroergotamine, ergotamine)

If you are taking certain medicines that can cause serious side effects, such as amiodarone, phenobarbitone, phenytoin, lidocaine, tricyclic antidepressants, quinidine and warfarin, at the same time as you are taking the Telzir/ritonavir combination, your doctor may carry out additional blood tests to minimise any potential safety problems.

If you are taking the contraceptive pill, it is recommended that you use an alternative method (e.g. a condom) to prevent pregnancy while you are taking Telzir.

Your doctor will tell you how many Telzir tablets to take and how often to take them. You will also find this information on the label of your medicine.

Do not take extra tablets. Do not take the tablets more often than you have been told.

Adults (greater than or equal to 18 years of age):

Therapy-Naive Patients: the dose of Telzir is 1400 mg (two tablets) once a day with 200 mg ritonavir once daily or 700 mg Telzir (one tablet) twice daily with 100 mg ritonavir twice daily.

Telzir oral suspension is also available for those who cannot swallow tablets.

Protease Inhibitor-Experienced Patients: the recommended dose is 700 mg Telzir with 100 mg ritonavir twice daily in combination with other antiretroviral agents. The once daily administration of fosamprenavir plus ritonavir is not recommended in protease inhibitor experienced patients.

Children and Adolescents (6 to 18 years of age):

The adult tablet regimens (Telzir 700 mg twice daily plus 100 mg ritonavir twice daily for protease inhibitor experienced patients) may be used by children and adolescents if they weigh at least 39 kg and can swallow the tablets whole. Ritonavir 100 mg capsules may be used by children and adolescents if they weigh at least 33 kg and can swallow the capsules whole.

Telzir oral suspension is the recommended option for the most accurate dosing in children based on body weight.

The use of Telzir in combination with ritonavir has not been established for children less than 6 years of age.

Telzir tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. Telzir tablets can be taken with or without food.

Because your medicine helps to control your condition, but does not cure it, you will need to take the tablets every day. Do not stop taking your medicine without first talking to your doctor.

Otherwise, your doctor may think that it was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.

Like all medicines, Telzir and ritonavir can cause some side-effects. If they occur, they are most likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and may need medical attention.

Occasionally the skin rash may be severe and as a result your doctor may decide that you have to stop taking this medicine.

Other side-effects that have been reported, include:

These have been seen particularly with antiretrovirals therapy including protease inhibitors and nucleoside analogues.

In some individuals, treatment with a combination of antiretroviral medicines that includes a protease inhibitor has caused a change in body shape due to changes in fat distribution. These may include decreased fat under the skin, increased fat in the abdomen (belly), breast enlargement and fatty lumps on the back of the neck.

Within the first few weeks of treatment with anti-HIV medicines, some people, particularly those that have been HIV positive for some time, may develop inflammatory reactions (eg pain, redness, swelling, high temperature) which may resemble an infection and may be severe. It is thought that these reactions are caused by a recovery in the body's ability to fight infections, previously suppressed by HIV. If you become concerned about any new symptoms, or any changes in your health after starting HIV treatment, please discuss with your doctor immediately.

Some people may get other side-effects while taking Telzir and ritonavir. If you are concerned, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Telzir are pink coloured, film-coated, capsule shaped tablets. They are biconvex and marked GXLL7 on one face.

Telzir tablets are supplied in a plastic bottle containing 60 tablets.

Telzir tablets contain 700 mg of fosamprenavir, present as fosamprenavir calcium. Your tablets also contain the following inactive ingredients:

Hypromellose, titanium dioxide (E171), glycerol triacetate, Iron oxide red (E172), microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, Povidone K30, magnesium stearate and colloidal silicon dioxide.