Drug interactions
Cabotegravir + Emtricitabine
Severity: Moderate
Cabotegravir and Emtricitabine: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Cabotegravir with rilpivirine is a complete HIV-1 regimen, so adding emtricitabine duplicates therapy. No data support this combination as a treatment regimen, though no pharmacokinetic interaction is expected.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cabotegravir and Emtricitabine can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Cabotegravir belongs to Anti Virals; Emtricitabine belongs to Anti Virals.
Why it happens
No pharmacokinetic interaction is established; the concern is duplicate antiretroviral therapy outside a studied regimen.
What to do
Do not add emtricitabine to cabotegravir/rilpivirine for treatment. Note that emtricitabine-containing PrEP is a separate, distinct use and should not be combined with oral or injectable cabotegravir PrEP.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Cabotegravir and Emtricitabine, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 14 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Emtricitabine
- Elvitegravir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir df + Emtricitabine Contraindicated
- Atidarsagene autotemcel + Emtricitabine Major
- Betibeglogene autotemcel + Emtricitabine Major
- Elivaldogene autotemcel + Emtricitabine Major
- Emtricitabine + Lamivudine Major
- Emtricitabine + Lovotibeglogene autotemcel Major
Other interactions of Cabotegravir
- Apalutamide + Cabotegravir Contraindicated
- Cabotegravir + Carbamazepine Contraindicated
- Cabotegravir + Oxcarbazepine Contraindicated
- Cabotegravir + Phenobarbitone Contraindicated
- Cabotegravir + Phenytoin Contraindicated
- Cabotegravir + Rifabutin Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Cabotegravir with Emtricitabine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Cabotegravir and Emtricitabine can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Cabotegravir with rilpivirine is a complete HIV-1 regimen, so adding emtricitabine duplicates therapy. No data support this combination as a treatment regimen, though no pharmacokinetic interaction is expected.
How serious is the interaction between Cabotegravir and Emtricitabine?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not add emtricitabine to cabotegravir/rilpivirine for treatment. Note that emtricitabine-containing PrEP is a separate, distinct use and should not be combined with oral or injectable cabotegravir PrEP.
What other medicines interact with Emtricitabine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Emtricitabine with, for example, Elvitegravir / cobicistat / emtricitabine / tenofovir df, Atidarsagene autotemcel, Betibeglogene autotemcel. The full list is on the Emtricitabine page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
