Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor that inhibits the replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in MT-2 cells and PBMC with the half maximal effective concentration EC50 values of 0.007 μmol/L and 0.005 μmol/L [1].
Shortly upon administration, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate rapidly goes through esterase hydrolysis removing the two ester groups and yielding tenofovir, which is a nucleotide analogue with anti-viral activity against retroviruses including HIV-1, HIV-2 and hepadnaviruses. Tenofovir is phosphorylated by cellular nucleotide kinase and adenylate kinase and eventually converted into its active anabolite tenofovir diphosphate, which inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and terminates the growing DNA chain [2].
References:
[1] Fung HB, Stone EA, Piacenti FJ. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate: a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV infection. Clin Ther. 2002 Oct;24(10):1515-48.
[2] Brian P. Kearney, John F. Flaherty, Jaymin Shah. Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate. Clinical Pharmacokinetics. August 2004, Volume 43, Issue 9, pp 595-612