Drug Database: Tipranavir

What is tipranavir?What is tipranavir?

What is tipranavir?

Tipranavir (brand name: Aptivus) is a prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV infection in adults and children weighing at least 79 lb (36 kg) and who meet specific requirements, as determined by a health care provider.

Tipranavir is always used with the boosting agent ritonavir (brand name: Norvir) and other HIV medicines.

Although tipranavir is FDA-approved for use in adults and children, it is no longer commonly used or recommended as an HIV treatment. The Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection no longer contain detailed or updated information on the use of tipranavir. Please refer to the FDA drug label for additional information regarding the use of tipranavir in people with HIV.

HIV medicines cannot cure HIV/AIDS, but taking HIV medicines every day helps people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. HIV medicines also reduce the risk of HIV transmission. If you are taking HIV medicines, do not cut down on, skip, or stop taking them unless your health care provider tells you to.

What should I tell my health care provider before taking tipranavir?What should I tell my health care provider before taking tipranavir?

What should I tell my health care provider before taking tipranavir?

Before taking tipranavir, tell your health care provider:

• If you are allergic to tipranavir, sulfonamides (sulfa medicines), or any other medicines.
• If you have hemophilia or another medical condition that increases your risk of bleeding, including trauma or surgery.
• If you are taking medicines that increase your risk of bleeding, including if you take high doses of vitamin E.
• If you have liver problems, including hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) or hepatitis C virus infection (HCV).
• If you have high cholesterol or high triglycerides.
• If you have diabetes.
• If you have any other medical conditions.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of taking tipranavir during pregnancy. For more information on the use of tipranavir during pregnancy, please refer to the Recommendations for the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs During Pregnancy and Interventions to Reduce Perinatal HIV Transmission in the United States. Note that the tipranavir drug section of the Perinatal HIV Guidelines is no longer being reviewed or updated. 
• If you are breast/chestfeeding or plan to breast/chestfeed. For people with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. People with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk. Although most medicines are safe to use while breast/chestfeeding, some medicines should be avoided. Always let your health care provider know about all the medicines and supplements you are using before you start breast/chestfeeding.
• If you are using hormone-based birth control (such as pills, implants, or vaginal rings). Tipranavir may make these forms of birth control less effective. In addition, there may be an increased risk of rash when tipranavir is taken with birth control pills. Your health care provider may recommend that you use additional or alternative forms of birth control while you are taking tipranavir. For more information about using birth control and HIV medicines at the same time, view the HIVinfo HIV and Birth Control infographic.
• About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products (particularly St. John's wort) you are taking or plan to take. Tipranavir may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how tipranavir works. Taking tipranavir together with certain medicines or products may cause serious, life-threatening side effects.

How should I take tipranavir?How should I take tipranavir?

How should I take tipranavir?

Tipranavir comes in the following forms and strengths:

• 250-mg capsules

Take tipranavir according to your health care provider’s instructions. Do not miss a dose of tipranavir, and do not change your dose or stop taking tipranavir without first talking with your health care provider.

Tipranavir must always taken with the boosting agent ritonavir. Take tipranavir and ritonavir by mouth at the same time with meals. 

Tipranavir capsules should be swallowed whole. Do not open or chew the capsules.

Always take tipranavir and ritonavir in combination with other HIV medicines.

If you have taken too much tipranavir, contact your health care provider or local poison control center (1-800-222-1222 or online) right away, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

For more information on how to take tipranavir, see the FDA drug label.

What should I do if I forget a dose?What should I do if I forget a dose?

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss a dose of tipranavir, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. But if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and just take your 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 tipranavir cause?What side effects can tipranavir cause?

What side effects can tipranavir cause?

Tipranavir may cause side effects. Some side effects of tipranavir can be serious as noted above. Many side effects from HIV medicines, such as nausea or occasional dizziness, are manageable. See the HIVinfo fact sheet on HIV Medicines and Side Effects for more information.

Other possible side effects of tipranavir include:

• Diabetes and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
• Changes in body fat (lipodystrophy syndrome).
• Changes in your immune system (called immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome or IRIS). IRIS is a condition that sometimes occurs when the immune system begins to recover after treatment with an HIV medicine. As the immune system gets stronger, it may have an increased response to a previously hidden infection.
• Increases in levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Increased bleeding in people with hemophilia.

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 tipranavir. To learn more about possible side effects of tipranavir, read the drug label or package insert or talk to your health care provider or pharmacist.

You can report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or online.

How should tipranavir be stored?How should tipranavir be stored?

How should tipranavir be stored?

• Store unopened containers of tipranavir capsules in a refrigerator at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C). Store opened containers of tipranavir capsules at room temperature, 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C). Once the container has been opened, the capsules must be used within 60 days.
• Keep tipranavir in the container that it came in and keep the container tightly closed.
• Do not use tipranavir if the original seal over the container opening is broken or missing.
• Throw away tipranavir that is no longer needed or expired (out of date). Follow FDA guidelines on how to safely dispose of unused medicine.
• Keep tipranavir and all medicines out of reach of children.

Where can I find more information about tipranavir?Where can I find more information about tipranavir?

Where can I find more information about tipranavir?

• For more information on the use of tipranavir in people with HIV, please refer to the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and the Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection.
• This Patient Version drug summary is based on the following FDA label(s): Capsule (liquid filled). The Patient Package Insert includes information for people taking tipranavir.
• The American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Patient Medication Information for tipranavir available from MedlinePlus.
• Tipranavir-related research studies, from ClinicalTrials.gov. (The ClinicalTrials.gov search can be modified so that you can get results that better match your interests.)
• A list of FDA-approved HIV medicines, from HIVinfo.