Emtricitabine



4-Amino-5-fluoro-1-(2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)-(2R-cis)-2(1H)-pyrimidinone



                                                                      CAS Number                            [143491-57-0]

                                                                      Appearance                              off-white crystalline powder

                                                                     Molecular Formula                   C₈H₁₀FN₃O₃S

                                                                     Molecular Weight                     247.25

                                                                     Assay                                           99%

                                                                     Specific Rotation [α] 25/D       -129^o

                                                                     Loss on Drying                          < 1.0%

                                                                     Heavy Metals                            < 20 ppm

                                                                     Impurities                                   < 1.0%

                                                                     Burning Residue                       < 0.1%

Emtricitabine was discovered by Dr. Dennis Liotta, Dr. Raymond Schinazi and Dr. Woo-Baeg Choi of Emory University and licensed to Triangle Pharmaceuticals by Emory in 1996. Triangle Pharmaceuticals was acquired in 2003 by Gilead Sciences, who completed development and now market the product with the brand name Emtriva®.

It was approved by the FDA July 2, 2003. It is very similar to 3TC and cross-resistance between the two is near-universal.

Emtricitabine (FTC), with trade name Emtriva® (formerly Coviracil), is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) for the treatment of HIV infection in adults.

Emtricitabine is also marketed in a fixed-dose combination with tenofovir (Viread®) under the brand name Truvada®. A fixed-dose triple combination of emtricitabine, tenofovir and efavarenz (Sustiva®, marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb) is in development.

Safety Data Sheet (pdf)