Valcyte

Valganciclovir

Clinical data
Trade names	Valcyte
AHFS/Drugs.com	Monograph
MedlinePlus	a605021
Pregnancy category	US: C (Risk not ruled out)
Routes of administration	By mouth
ATC code	J05AB14 (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status	UK: POM (Prescription only) US: ℞-only
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	60%
Protein binding	1–2%
Metabolism	Hydrolysed to ganciclovir
Biological half-life	4 hours
Excretion	Kidney
Identifiers
IUPAC name 2-[(2-amino-6-oxo-6,9-dihydro-3H-purin-9-yl)methoxy]-3-hydroxypropyl-(2S)-2-amino-3-methylbutanoate
CAS Number	175865-59-5 N
PubChem CID	64147
IUPHAR/BPS	4716
DrugBank	DB01610 Y
ChemSpider	57721 Y
UNII	GCU97FKN3R
ChEMBL	CHEMBL1201314 N
NIAID ChemDB	032967
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C14H22N6O5
Molar mass	354.362 g/mol
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES O=C(OCC(OCn1c2N\C(=N/C(=O)c2nc1)N)CO)[C@@H](N)C(C)C
InChI InChI=1S/C14H22N6O5/c1-7(2)9(15)13(23)24-4-8(3-21)25-6-20-5-17-10-11(20)18-14(16)19-12(10)22/h5,7-9,21H,3-4,6,15H2,1-2H3,(H3,16,18,19,22)/t8?,9-/m0/s1 Y Key:WPVFJKSGQUFQAP-GKAPJAKFSA-N Y
NY (what is this?)

Valganciclovir, sold under the brandname Valcyte among others, is an antiviral medication used to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in those with HIV/AIDS or following organ transplant. It is often used long term as it only suppresses rather than cures the infection. Valganciclovir is taken by mouth.

Common side effects include abdominal pain, headaches, trouble sleeping, nausea, fever, and low blood cell counts. Other side effects may include infertility and kidney problems. When used during pregnancy, it causes birth defects in some animals. Valganciclovir is the L-valyl ester of ganciclovir and works when broken down into ganciclovir by the intestine and liver.

Valganciclovir was approved for medical use in 2001. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. The wholesale price in the developing world is between 30.16 and 52.14 USD per day. In the United States as of 2016 the wholesale costs is about 58.54 USD per day. In 2017 a generic version was approved.

Valganciclovir is commonly used for treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis (eye infection may cause blindness) in people who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Valganciclovir is also used to prevent cytomegalovirus disease in people who have received a heart, kidney, or kidney-pancreas transplant and who have a chance of getting CMV disease. Overall, valganciclovir works by preventing the spread of CMV disease or slowing the growth of CMV.