Darunavir Oral: Dosing, Duration, and Precautions
Darunavir guidance for HIV treatment with ritonavir boosting, including separate schedules for protease-inhibitor-naive and experienced patients.
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Source reviewed
November 2022
Guide category
Oral drugs
Safety boundary
Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.
Kenza Health Hub presents this medicine page as structured health education. Check dose, route, interactions, pregnancy or breast-feeding considerations, and local protocol with a qualified clinician or pharmacist. Read our medical editorial policy.
Therapeutic action
Antiretroviral, HIV protease inhibitor.
Indications
HIV infection, in combination with ritonavir booster and other antiretrovirals.
Forms and strengths
- 75 mg, 150 mg, 400 mg, and 600 mg tablets.
- 400 mg darunavir/50 mg ritonavir tablet.
Dose
Patients with no previous use of protease inhibitors
Single formulations:
- Child 14 to < 35 kg: 600 mg once daily plus 100 mg ritonavir once daily.
- Child >= 35 kg and adult: 800 mg once daily plus 100 mg ritonavir once daily.
- Fixed-dose combination: child >= 40 kg and >= 12 years and adult: two 400/50 mg tablets once daily.
Patients with previous use of protease inhibitors
Single formulations:
- Child 14 to < 25 kg: 375 mg 2 times daily plus 50 mg ritonavir 2 times daily.
- Child 25 to < 35 kg: 400 mg 2 times daily plus 100 mg ritonavir 2 times daily.
- Child >= 35 kg and adult: 600 mg 2 times daily plus 100 mg ritonavir 2 times daily.
Duration
Depending on the efficacy and tolerance of darunavir and ritonavir.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- Do not administer to children under 3 years, to patients with severe hepatic impairment, or to patients with allergy to sulfonamides because of the risk of cross-sensitivity.
- Do not combine with rifampicin because plasma concentrations of darunavir decrease. Replace rifampicin with rifabutin.
- Administer with caution and monitor use in patients with haemophilia or mild to moderate hepatic impairment.
- May cause gastrointestinal disturbances, headache, insomnia, fatigue, dizziness, peripheral neuropathy, renal disorders, myocardial infarction, hypertension, tachycardia, hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, and lipodystrophy.
- Skin rash may be severe and hepatic disorders may occur. In this event, stop treatment immediately.
- Darunavir in combination with ritonavir reduces the efficacy of implants and oral contraceptives. Use injectable medroxyprogesterone or an intrauterine device.
- Pregnancy: no contra-indication. Use 2 times daily dosing because plasma concentrations of darunavir decrease during pregnancy.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.
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