Nevirapine is a non-nucleoside inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase used to treat and prevent HIV/AIDS; with a Ki of 270 μM.
Nevirapine itself is an inhibitor of only CYP3A4 at concentrations that are well above those of therapeutic relevance (Ki=270 μM)[1]. Nevirapine has been used as a re-differentiation agent to treat cancers in several human cancer models. At all doses (100, 200, 350, 500 μM) tested, nevirapine significantly inhibits cell proliferation after 48 h treatment. At high dose (500 μM), nevirapine significantly increases the percentage of apoptotic cells compared with control[2]. Nevirapine is a potent and selective inhibitor (IC50=10-100 nM) of the replication of a wide variety of HIV-1 strains in several cellular assays[3].
Nevirapine is available for use in combination with nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors (e.g., zidovudine, didanosine, etc.). Nevirapine has received FDA approval for use in combination with HIV-1 protease inhibitors (e.g., saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir, etc.). In humans, nevirapine is eliminated primarily in the urine as glucuronide conjugates of 2-, 3-, 8-, and 12-hydroxynevirapine[1]. Nevirapine is completely absorbed in both sexes of mouse, rat, rabbit, monkey, and chimpanzee. Nevirapine is extensively metabolized in both sexes of all animal species studied[4]. Nevirapine (9 mg/kg, 18 mg/kg and 36 mg/kg) shows significant reduction in ulcer severity score and ulcer index as compared to the control[5]
References:
[1]. Erickson DA, et al. Characterization of the in vitro biotransformation of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitornevirapine by human hepatic cytochromes P-450. Drug Metab Dispos. 1999 Dec;27(12):1488-95.
[2]. Dong JJ, et al. In vitro evaluation of the therapeutic potential of nevirapine in treatment of human thyroid anaplastic carcinoma. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2013 May 6;370(1-2):113-8.
[3]. Merluzzi VJ, et al. Inhibition of HIV-1 replication by a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Science. 1990 Dec 7;250(4986):1411-3.
[4]. Riska PS, et al. Biotransformation of nevirapine, a non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor, in mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, monkeys, and chimpanzees. Drug Metab Dispos. 1999 Dec;27(12):1434-47.
[5]. Onasanwo SA, et al. Evaluation of anti-ulcerogenic and ulcer-healing activities of nevirapine in rats. Afr J Med Med Sci. 2015 Sep;44(3):251-9.