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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Key PointsThe HIV treatment medicine Genvoya (elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide) does not have weight gain listed as a side effect in the product labeling.However, a large study suggests some of the newer HIV treatments, including integrase strand inhibitors such as elvitegravir (found in Genvoya), can be linked with significant weight gain.The exact mechanisms by which integrase inhibitors may cause weight gain are not fully known. Based on a meta-analysis study, weight gain may be due to a variety of related reasons, such as:baseline CD4 countsweight before treatment initiationa return to health and an improved appetite following HIV treatmentoverall food choices.What’s in Genvoya?Genvoya (elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide), from Gilead Sciences is an oral prescription medicine used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in adults and children who are at least 12 years old and who weigh at least 55 pounds (25 kilograms). HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).Genvoya is considered a complete, one pill regimen for HIV treatment. It is taken once-a-day with food and you do not need to use other HIV-1 medicines with Genvoya. It contains 4 different types of drugs:Table 1: Drugs found in Genvoya Ingredient Class Mechanism of Action Elvitegravir Integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) Blocks the action of the integrase (an enzyme) that facilitates insertion of the HIV virus into the cell. Emtricitabine (Emtriva) Nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) Blocks the action of reverse transcriptase and inhibits viral replication. Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) - (Vemlidy) Nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) Blocks the action of reverse transcriptase and inhibits viral replication. Cobicistat (Tybost) CYP3A inhibitor pharmacokinetic enhancer (booster) Given to help increase blood levels of other HIV medications, such as elvitegravir. Does not treat HIV. Research on weight gain with GenvoyaRecent studies have suggested that newer HIV treatments, including ones that contain integrase strand inhibitors (INSTIs) such as bictegravir, dolutegravir or elvitegravir, may be linked with weight gain in patients living with HIV. Elvitegravir is one of the medicines found in Genvoya.A 2019 meta-analysis published in Clinical Infectious Diseases reported on weight gain with INSTIs. Investigators looked
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