| Human immunodeficiency virus I infection
Descovy for PrEP vs Complera
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for human immunodeficiency virus i infection.Deep comparison between: Descovy vs Complera with Prescriber.AI
AI compares prescribing info and payer-specific access barriers across 1,200+ formularies. Here's a preview of what prescribers are already asking.Safety signalsComplera has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Descovy based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Complera but not Descovy, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Descovy
Complera
At A Glance
Oral
Daily
NRTI combination
Oral
Once daily
NRTI/NNRTI fixed-dose combination
Indications
- Human immunodeficiency virus I infection
- Human immunodeficiency virus I infection
Dosing
Human immunodeficiency virus I infection Adults and pediatric patients >=35 kg: one 200 mg/25 mg tablet once daily with or without food; pediatric patients 25 to <35 kg: one 200 mg/25 mg tablet once daily; 14 to <25 kg: one 120 mg/15 mg tablet once daily (with other antiretrovirals including DRV+COBI but not other PI/ritonavir or PI/cobicistat combinations); not recommended with eGFR 15-30 mL/min or <15 mL/min without chronic hemodialysis.
HIV-1 PrEP One 200 mg/25 mg tablet once daily orally with or without food in adults and adolescents >=35 kg with eGFR >=30 mL/min, or adults with eGFR <15 mL/min on chronic hemodialysis (dose after hemodialysis); not recommended with eGFR 15-30 mL/min or <15 mL/min without hemodialysis.
Human immunodeficiency virus I infection One tablet orally once daily with food for adults and pediatric patients weighing at least 35 kg; not recommended in patients with estimated creatinine clearance below 50 mL/min.
Pregnancy One tablet once daily may be continued in virologically suppressed patients (HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/mL); monitor viral load closely due to lower rilpivirine exposures during pregnancy.
Rifabutin coadministration Add one additional 25 mg rilpivirine (Edurant) tablet once daily with a meal for the duration of rifabutin coadministration.
Contraindications
- Unknown or positive HIV-1 status when used for HIV-1 PrEP
- Coadministration with carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, or phenytoin
- Coadministration with rifampin or rifapentine
- Coadministration with dexamethasone (systemic, more than a single dose)
- Coadministration with St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)
- Coadministration with proton pump inhibitors (e.g., dexlansoprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole)
Adverse Reactions
Most common (>=10%) Nausea (in antiretroviral treatment-naive adults with HIV-1 receiving FTC+TAF with EVG+COBI)
Serious Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B, immune reconstitution syndrome, new onset or worsening renal impairment, lactic acidosis/severe hepatomegaly with steatosis
Postmarketing Angioedema, urticaria, rash, acute renal failure, acute tubular necrosis, proximal renal tubulopathy, Fanconi syndrome
Most common (>=2%) Depressive disorders, headache, insomnia, abnormal dreams, dizziness, nausea, rash
Serious Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B, skin and hypersensitivity reactions, hepatotoxicity, depressive disorders, new onset or worsening renal impairment, bone loss and mineralization defects, lactic acidosis/severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, immune reconstitution syndrome
Postmarketing Weight gain, severe skin and hypersensitivity reactions including DRESS, nephrotic syndrome, allergic reaction including angioedema, lactic acidosis, pancreatitis, rhabdomyolysis, osteomalacia, acute renal failure, Fanconi syndrome
Pharmacology
Dual HIV NRTI combination; emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) each inhibit HIV-1 reverse transcriptase via nucleotide analog chain termination after intracellular phosphorylation, with TAF serving as a prodrug converted intracellularly to tenofovir and then to the active metabolite tenofovir diphosphate.
COMPLERA is a fixed-dose combination antiretroviral containing emtricitabine (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor), rilpivirine (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor), and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor); each component inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase through distinct mechanisms to suppress viral replication.
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Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Descovy
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (1/12) · Step Therapy (1/12) · Qty limit (11/12)
Complera
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (9/12) · Step Therapy (0/12) · Qty limit (9/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Descovy
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (6/8)
Complera
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (8/8)
Humana
Descovy
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (0/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (3/3)
Complera
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (0/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (3/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
$0
Gilead Advancing Access Patient Assistance Program/Medication Assistance Program (PAP/MAP)Commercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
$0
Gilead Advancing Access Patient Assistance Program/Medication Assistance Program (PAP/MAP)Commercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.