This new formulation is so much better absorbed by the body that the sponsor hopes it may eventually eliminate the need for intravenous therapy altogether. Like other antivirals, the optimal use of this drug is as part of a three-drug combination. Nevirapine should never be used alone, and its use even in two-drug combinations is discouraged because of the risk of rapid development of drug resistance. Presumably, it can also be combined with d4T and 3TC or ddI and d4T, though it has not been formally studied in this fashion. Other common adult uses include salvage therapy, in which nevirapine is added along with other new drugs after a protease inhibitor combination has failed.
Children generally experience the same side effects seen in the adult studies.
Rash, usually mild to moderate in severity, is the most common. Other possible side effects include fever, nausea, headache and abnormal liver function tests.