Systematic (IUPAC) name | |
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2-[(2-amino-6-oxo-6,9-dihydro-3H-purin-9-yl)methoxy]-3-hydroxypropyl (2S)-2-amino-3-methylbutanoate | |
Clinical data | |
Trade names | Valcyte |
AHFS/Drugs.com | monograph |
MedlinePlus | a605021 |
Pregnancy cat. | C(US) |
Legal status | POM (UK) ℞-only (US) |
Routes | Oral |
Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | 60% |
Protein binding | 1-2% |
Metabolism | Hydrolysed to ganciclovir |
Half-life | 4 hours |
Excretion | Renal |
Identifiers | |
CAS number | 175865-59-5 |
ATC code | J05AB14 |
PubChem | CID 64147 |
DrugBank | DB01610 |
ChemSpider | 57721 |
UNII | GCU97FKN3R |
ChEMBL | CHEMBL1201314 |
Chemical data | |
Formula | C14H22N6O5 |
Mol. mass | 354.362 g/mol |
SMILES | eMolecules & PubChem |
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Valganciclovir hydrochloride (Valcyte, manufactured by Hoffmann–La Roche (Roche). Also Cymeval, Valcyt, Valixa, Darilin, Rovalcyte, Valcyte, Patheon, Syntex[1]) is an antiviral medication used to treat cytomegalovirus infections. As the L-valyl ester of ganciclovir, it is actually a prodrug for ganciclovir.[2] After oral administration, it is rapidly converted to ganciclovir by intestinal and hepatic esterases.
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Orally, available in 450 mg pink tablets. For patients who have received a transplant, the recommended dose is 900 mg once daily, starting within 10 days of transplantation and continuing until 100 days post transplantation. HIV patients might initially need to take the dose 900 mg twice daily for the first 3 weeks.[3]
It has been proposed that valganciclovir could be used in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. Following some reported success in 9 out of 12 patients at Stanford University in California, a follow-up double-blind, controlled study of 30 patients was completed, and although data has not yet been released, according to the Virus Induced CNS Dysfunction Association, "the data Dr. Montoya presented at the 2008 International Conference on HHV-6&7 indicated that patients on Valcyte experienced significant cognitive improvement.", especially for those with elevated antibody levels to HHV-6 and EBV (VCA and EA) [4][5]
Roche's Valcyte is protected by patent. However a generic version manufactured by Japanese-owned Indian company Daiichi-Ranbaxy was found by the District Court of New Jersey, USA not to infringe Roche's patent.[6]
The price of a four-month course of valganciclovir from Roche is about US$8,500 in high-income countries, $6,000 in India. However, the valganciclovir patent was rejected by the Indian Patent Office[7] in 2010, although Roche may appeal the rejection.
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