• Acute herpes zoster:
    • 500mg TDS *1/52
  • Genital herpes in immunocompetent patients:
    • Initial episode: 250mg TDS *7-10 days
      • May extend treatment if not healed after 10 days
    • Recurrent episodes: 1000mg BD*1/7
      • Initiated within 6 hours of symptom or lesion onset
    • Suppressive therapy: 250mg BD for 12 months
  • Genital herpes in immunocompromised patients:
    • Initial episode: 500mg BD *7-10 days
      • Initiated within 48 hours of symptom or lesion onset
    • Recurrent episodes: 500mg BD*5-10 days
      • Initiated within 48 hours of symptom or lesion onset
    • Suppressive therapy: 500mg BD for 12 months
  • Orolabial herpes in immunocompetent patients:
    • Recurrent episodes: 1500mg *1
      • Immediately after onset
  • Orolabial herpes in immunocompromised patients:
    • Initial episode: 500mg BD *5-10 days
      • Initiated within 48 hours of symptom or lesion onset
    • Recurrent episodes: 500mg BD*1/52
      • Initiated within 48 hours of symptom or lesion onset
    • Suppressive therapy: 500mg BD for 12 months
  • Tablet:
    • 125mg
    • 250mg
    • 500mg
    • 750mg

Taken without regards to meals

Antiviral

Prodrug of penciclovir. It inhibits DNA polymerase, selectively inhibiting herpes viral DNA synthesis and replication

  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Fatigue
  • Pruritus
  • Neutropenia
  • Abnormal LFTs
  • Paresthesia
  • Flatulence
  • Hypersensitivity to class/components
  • Varicella/zoster live vaccine
  • Tamoligene

                          Drug Status

Availability Prescription only
Pregnancy Category B
Breastfeeding Use with caution
Schedule Not controlled
BRAND NAME STRENGTH FORMULATION PACK SIZE MANUFACTURER DISTRIBUTOR
Penvir 500mg Tablet 10’s Hetero Labs Unisel Ltd