Penciclovir

Penciclovir

  • Pregnancy Category B

Formulations

  • Topical

Dosing 

  • Recurrent orolabial herpes simplex virus infection: 1% cream 6 times / day for 4 days
  • Also, has limited activity for Epstein bar virus “EBV”, and Cytomegalovirus “CMV”

  • Acyclic nucleoside (similar to acyclovir, viral thymidine kinase dependent, must be tri- phosphorylated to be pharmacologically active). Phosphorylated by herpes thymidine kinase then bi- and tri- phosphorylated by host enzymes leading to viral DNA polymerase inhibition. Incorporates tri-phosphorylated Famciclovir prematurely stopping DNA replication

FDA

  • Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections: primary, recurrent, suppressive therapy
  • Varicella and herpes zoster
  • Includes immunocompromised patients

Off-label

  • Recurrent erythema multiforme and other HSV infections (e.g., neonatal HSV, eczema herpeticum)

  • Headache

* For further reading refer to a pharmacology source

* For further reading refer to a pharmacology source

* For further reading refer to a pharmacology source