FORTOVASE
General description

Fortovase is the brand name for the drug saquinavir produced by Roche Laboratories. It is an inhibitor of HIV protease for use in treating HIV infection, available as a gelatin capsule for oral adminstration.

Mechanism

By inhibiting the action of HIV protease, saquinavir prevents cleavage of polyprotein precursors, resulting in the development of immature, noninfectious viral particles.

Usage/Dosage

The recommended dosage is six 200 mg capsules three times a day (1200 mg tid) taken with a meal or up to two hours after a meal.

Precautions

Treatment should be halted if severe toxicity develops over the course of treatment.

Contraindications

Fortovase is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to saquinavir or to any of its components. It should not be adminstered concomitantly with terfenadine, cisapride, astemizole, triazolam, midazolam, or ergot derivatives.

Potential Adverse Effects

The majority of side effects are of mild intensity and low frequency. Invirase has been associated with nwe onset diabetes mellitus in some patients, though no causal relationship has been studied or proven.