Intelence (Etravirine) for HIV

Intelence (etravirine) is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in treatment-experienced adults and children ages 2 years and older.

How Intelence Works and How It’s Taken

Intelence is a type of HIV medicine called a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, or NNRTI. It blocks reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that HIV-1 uses to make more copies of itself.

Doctors prescribe Intelence with other antiretroviral medicines to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and children ages 2 years and older who have taken HIV medicines before.

HIV-1 is the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Intelence comes as a tablet taken by mouth. Take it two times a day after a meal. Swallow Intelence tablets whole with a liquid such as water. Do not chew the tablets. Intelence should be taken after a meal.

Typical Dosing for HIV

For adults, the recommended dose of Intelence is 200 milligrams taken two times a day after a meal.

For children ages 2 years to younger than 18 years who weigh at least 10 kilograms, the dose is based on body weight and should not be higher than the adult dose:

10 kilograms to less than 20 kilograms — 100 milligrams two times daily
20 kilograms to less than 25 kilograms — 125 milligrams two times daily
25 kilograms to less than 30 kilograms — 150 milligrams two times daily
30 kilograms or more — 200 milligrams two times daily

This information is based on the prescribing information, but your healthcare provider may tailor your treatment plan. Always follow their guidance.

Intelence Side Effects

In clinical studies of Intelence, the most common side effects were reported in at least 2 percent of people, with some occurring in up to 15 percent of people in certain study groups.

Side effects in adults include:

Rash
Peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain, tingling, numbness, or burning, usually in the hands or feet)

Side effects in children include:

Rash
Diarrhea

Serious Side Effects and Warnings

Intelence can cause serious side effects that may require immediate medical attention. These include:

Severe skin reactions and severe allergic reactions — These reactions can include Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, or DRESS, which can involve rash and organ problems such as liver failure.
Liver problems — Hepatitis and hepatic failure can occur.
Immune reconstitution syndrome — Changes in the immune system after starting HIV treatment can cause new or worsening symptoms of infection, and sometimes autoimmune problems.
Fat redistribution — Changes in where body fat is stored can occur, such as increased belly fat or a “buffalo hump.”

Get medical help right away if you think you are having a serious reaction.

How To Save on Intelence

Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Intelence, offers the J&J withMe Savings Program. Eligible people with commercial insurance may pay as little as $0 per prescription fill.

The J&J withMe Savings Program also offers reimbursement if your pharmacy cannot process the savings card and an online account to help you manage your program benefits.

To learn more, visit the J&J withMe Savings Program website or call 866-836-0114.

What To Know Before Taking Intelence

Before you take Intelence tell your doctor if you:

Have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B or hepatitis C
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed
Have any allergies to etravirine or any ingredients in Intelence

Tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Do not stop taking Intelence or let your supply run out without speaking with your healthcare provider. The amount of virus in your blood may increase, and the virus may become harder to treat.

A pregnancy exposure registry monitors pregnancy outcomes in people exposed to Intelence. Healthcare providers can register pregnancies by visiting the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry or calling 800-258-4263.

Do not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because HIV-1 can pass to your baby through breast milk. Intelence can also pass into breast milk.

Community FAQs

These answers are fact-checked by our editorial staff.

How effective is Intelence for HIV?

In two 48-week studies of adults with HIV-1 who had taken HIV medicines before:

60 percent of people taking Intelence with other HIV medicines had a viral load below 50 copies per milliliter at week 48. This compared with 38 percent of people taking placebo with other HIV medicines.
Viral load decreased by an average of 2.23 log10 copies per milliliter with Intelence, compared with 1.46 log10 copies per milliliter with placebo.
CD4-positive cells are immune system cells that help the body fight infections. CD4-positive cell counts increased by an average of 96 cells per cubic millimeter with Intelence, compared with 68 cells per cubic millimeter with placebo.

How long does Intelence take to work for HIV?

Clinical studies measured HIV-1 RNA, also called viral load, at times such as 24 and 48 weeks. It does not say exactly how soon Intelence will work for an individual person.

Healthcare providers use blood tests to check how well treatment is working.

Can Intelence be used with other medicines for HIV?

Yes. Intelence is used with other HIV medicines, but some combinations are not recommended.

Taking Intelence with efavirenz, nevirapine, or rilpivirine is not recommended.
Intelence should not be taken with delavirdine.
Dolutegravir should only be used with Intelence when it is also taken with atazanavir/ritonavir, darunavir/ritonavir, or lopinavir/ritonavir.
Raltegravir can be taken with Intelence without changing the dose.