WARNING:
Maraviroc can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. These include liver problems and heart problems. An allergic reaction may happen before liver problems occur.
Stop taking maraviroc and contact your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms:
- An itchy rash on the body (allergic reaction).
- Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice).
- Dark-colored urine.
- Vomiting.
- Abdominal pain (pain in the upper right stomach area).
People taking maraviroc have had heart problems, including heart attack (myocardial infarction).
While taking maraviroc, it is important to keep all of your appointments with your health care provider.
What is maraviroc?
Maraviroc is a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV infection in adults. Maraviroc is always used in combination with other anti-HIV medicines.
Maraviroc is a type of anti-HIV medicine called a CCR5 receptor antagonist (a type of entry inhibitor). A CCR5 receptor is a protein located on the surface of certain immune cells. In some people, HIV binds to the CCR5 receptor to enter cells. Maraviroc works by blocking the CCR5 receptors on healthy immune cells. This prevents HIV from entering and infecting the cells. When used with other anti-HIV medicines, maraviroc may lower the amount of HIV in the blood.
Maraviroc should be used only in people whose strain of HIV uses the CCR5 receptor. Maraviroc is not recommended for people whose HIV uses another receptor called CXCR4 or whose HIV uses both the CCR5 and CXCR4 receptors. Your health care provider will do a blood test to see whether your HIV uses only the CCR5 receptor.
Maraviroc does not cure HIV/AIDS. It is not known if maraviroc reduces the risk of passing HIV to other people.
What should I tell my health care provider before taking maraviroc?
Before taking maraviroc, tell your health care provider:
- If you are allergic to maraviroc or any other medicines.
- If you have liver problems, including a history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
- If you have heart problems.
- If you have kidney problems.
- If you have low blood pressure or take medicines to lower blood pressure.
- If you have any other medical condition.
- If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Whether maraviroc can harm an unborn baby is unknown.
- If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you are infected with HIV or are taking maraviroc.
- About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Maraviroc may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how maraviroc works. Taking maraviroc together with certain medicines or products may cause serious side effects.
How should I take maraviroc?
Maraviroc comes in tablet form in two strengths:
- 150-mg tablets (brand name: Selzentry).
- 300-mg tablets (brand name: Selzentry).
Take maraviroc according to your health care provider’s instructions.
Take maraviroc with or without food. Swallow maraviroc tablets whole. Do not chew the tablets.
Always take maraviroc in combination with other anti-HIV medicines.
If you take too much maraviroc, contact your local poison control center (1-800-222-1222) or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.
For more information on how to take maraviroc, see the FDA drug label from DailyMed. (DailyMed is a federal website that includes the most recent drug labels submitted to FDA.)
What should I do if I forget a dose?
If you forget to take maraviroc, take the next dose of maraviroc as soon as you remember it and then take your next scheduled dose at its regular time. If it is less than 6 hours before your next dose, do not take the missed dose. Wait and take the next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.
What side effects can maraviroc cause?
Maraviroc can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. These include liver problems and heart problems. An allergic reaction may happen before liver problems occur. (See the WARNING above.)
Other possible serious side effects of maraviroc include:
- Low blood pressure when standing up (postural hypotension). This can cause dizziness or fainting.
- Changes in the immune system (immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome).
- Possible chance of infection or cancer.
Tell your health care provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all the possible side effects of maraviroc. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist for more information on possible side effects of maraviroc.
How should maraviroc be stored?
- Store maraviroc at room temperature, 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).
- Safely throw away maraviroc that is no longer needed or expired (out of date).
- Keep maraviroc and all medicines out of reach of children.
Where can I find more information about maraviroc?
More information about maraviroc is available:
Manufacturer Information
Pfizer Inc
212-733-2323
Last Reviewed: September 13, 2012
Last Updated: September 12, 2012