Abacavir is an antiviral nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used in combination with other antiretrovirals for the treatment of HIV. Chemically, it is a synthetic carbocyclic nucleoside and is the enantiomer with 1S, 4R absolute configuration on the cyclopentene ring.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed
Abacavir is a carbocyclic synthetic nucleoside analogue and an antiviral agent. Intracellularly, abacavir is converted by cellular enzymes to the active metabolite carbovir triphosphate, an analogue of deoxyguanosine-5'-triphosphate (dGTP). Carbovir triphosphate inhibits the activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) both by competing with the natural substrate dGTP and by its incorporation into viral DNA. Viral DNA growth is terminated because the incorporated nucleotide lacks a 3'-OH group, which is needed to form the 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage essential for DNA chain elongation.
- Primary indication
- Abacavir is indicated in combination with other anti-retroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.Curator reviewed · 2 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C14H18N6O · 286.3323 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2009 · United States, 1998 · European Union, 2020
- Also known as
- ABC
- Code names
- 1592U89
- Brand names
Resolves to
MCGSCOLBFJQGHM-SCZZXKLOSA-NSMILESNC1=NC2=C(N=CN2[C@@H]2C[C@H](CO)C=C2)C(NC2CC2)=N1What you can answer from here — as of September 29, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Abacavir, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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