Prezcobix and Stribild are non-compatible antiretroviral drugs and should not be co-administered. They are both combination ARVs but using them together may lead to serious adverse reactions.
Prezcobix is an HIV medication with two main constituents used in controlling the level of HIV in infected patients [1]. Prezcobix contains darunavir and cobicistat as its active components, and it is usually issued as a fixed-dose. Darunavir belongs to a group of protease inhibitors, and cobicistat belongs to a group of inhibitors that act on the CYP3A4 enzyme.
Prezcobix is an antiretroviral combination drug effective in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It doesn’t cure the infection, but it keeps the viral load in check and also reduces the risk of spreading the infection to non-infected persons.
Stribild is an antiretroviral drug that effectively controls the amount of HIV in the blood [2]. It contains elvitegravir, emtricitabine, tenofovir, and cobicistat as its main ingredients. They belong to the four groups of antiretrovirals that attach to various enzymes required for viral multiplication, thereby putting the level of infection under control. This med is approved by the food and drug administration (FDA) of the United States, for the treatment of adults and children who weigh at least 35 Kg. Children who can use it must be up to 12 years and older. Patients must meet certain requirements as deemed fit by a doctor before beginning treatment with this drug.
Both drugs are combination medicines that contain a group of antiretroviral agents to boost their effectiveness. While Prezcobix is not to be used alone but only with other anti-HIV drugs, as a part of a complex therapy regimen, it does not mix well with Stribild. In addition to having one ingredient in common (cobicistat), which often leads to its increased levels and related side-effects, Prezcobix may hinder the action of Stribild by lowering the levels of elvitegravir in the patient’s blood. Using these medicines concomitantly may cause negative after-effects and even put you at great risk [3].
Additionally, Stribild is not to be taken with other HIV medicines, as it may alter the concentration of substances metabolized by the CYP3A enzyme, which is exactly how darunavir – the main ingredient of Prezcobix – is metabolized. It is usually administered to the treatment-naïve patients who don’t have resistance issues associated with any of the components of the drug [2].