Famciclovir

Summary

Famciclovir (CHEMBL880) is an approved small-molecule prodrug (ATC J05AB09); indicated across 10 conditions including genital herpes and herpes labialis.

At a glance

• Status: Approved (max clinical phase 4)
• Modality: Small molecule
• ATC class: J05AB09 (+1 more)
• Indications: 10 conditions
• Clinical trials: 18
• Chemistry: 321.33 Da · C14H19N5O4

Identifiers

Drug identity and classification

Field	Value
ChEMBL ID	CHEMBL880
Name	Famciclovir
Type	Small molecule
Max phase	4
FDA approved	yes
PubChem CID	3324
ChEBI	CHEBI:4974
ATC	J05AB09, S01AD07
Molecular formula	C14H19N5O4
Molecular weight	321.33
InChIKey	GGXKWVWZWMLJEH-UHFFFAOYSA-N

SMILES: CC(=O)OCC(CCN1C=NC2=CN=C(N=C21)N)COC(=O)C

IUPAC name: [2-(acetyloxymethyl)-4-(2-aminopurin-9-yl)butyl] acetate

ChEBI definition: 2-Amino-9H-purine in which the hydrogen at position 9 is substituted by a 4-acetoxy-3-(acetoxymethyl)but-1-yl group. A prodrug of the antiviral penciclovir, it is used for the treatment of acute herpes zoster (shingles), for the treatment or suppression of recurrent genital herpes in immunocompetent patients and for the treatment of recurrent mucocutaneous herpes simplex infections in HIV infected patients.

Pharmacological roles (ChEBI): prodrug, antiviral drug.

Also known as: BRL-42810, Famciclovir, Famvir, NSC-758921, SID26719883, SID26748972, FAMCICLOVIR, famciclovir, SID174006796, SID170464774, C0164874

Patent coverage: 6,904 distinct patent families (25,925 SureChEMBL compound mentions), from 2 matched compound structure(s). One matched structure accounts for 25,674 (99%) of the total. Mentions count patents naming the compound (not distinct inventions), so promiscuous / reference molecules inflate the mention figure — families are the dedup metric.

Targets

Targets

Broader ChEMBL bioactivity targets: 7 (assay-derived). Sample: Lysine-specific demethylase 4E, 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase [NAD(+)], Relaxin receptor 1, Alpha-1A adrenergic receptor, Cruzipain, Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase type-2.

Bioactivity

No ChEMBL bioactivity rows at pChembl ≥ 5 (expected for biologics / antibodies).

Target pathways

No target-pathway data for this drug (no mapped target genes).

Indications & clinical

Indications

10 indications (7 at ChEMBL trial phase 4). Phase below is the highest clinical-trial phase recorded for this drug against each disease — not the molecule’s overall approval status (that is in the Summary).

Indication	Trial phase	MONDO	EFO
genital herpes	4	MONDO:0005770	EFO:0007282
herpes labialis	4	MONDO:0043653	EFO:1001347
herpes zoster	4	MONDO:0005609	EFO:0006510
viral infectious disease	4	MONDO:0005108	EFO:0000763
eye infectious disorder	4	MONDO:0043885	EFO:1001888
autoimmune disease	4	MONDO:0007179	MONDO:0021094
Meniere disease	3	MONDO:0007972	EFO:0006862
herpes simplex infectious disease	3	MONDO:0004609	EFO:1002022
multiple sclerosis	2	MONDO:0005301	MONDO:0005301

1 further indication record had no mapped disease name (EFO/MeSH-only) or were duplicates, and are omitted.

Clinical trials

Total trials: 18.

Phase distribution

Phase	Trials
PHASE3	7
PHASE4	5
Not specified	3
PHASE2	2
PHASE2/PHASE3	1

Top trials by phase / activity

NCT	Phase	Status	Title
NCT07099157	PHASE4	RECRUITING	Efficacy and Safety of Brivudine in the Treatment of Herpes Zoster
NCT00129818	PHASE4	COMPLETED	A Study to Evaluate the Effect of Famciclovir in Reducing Herpes Virus Shedding
NCT00219310	PHASE4	COMPLETED	RELIEF: Randomized Episodic Versus Long-Term Suppression Experience With Famciclovir
NCT00248144	PHASE4	COMPLETED	A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Single Day or Single Dose Famciclovir for the Treatment of Recurrent Herpes Labialis
NCT00477334	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Patient-initiated Episodic Treatment of Recurrent Genital Herpes in Black Patients
NCT00098046	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Famciclovir Oral Pediatric Formulation in Children 1-12 Years of Age With Varicella Zoster Infection
NCT00098059	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Famciclovir Pediatric Formulation in Children 1 to 12 Years of Age With Herpes Simplex Infection
NCT00171990	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Efficacy and Safety of Oral Famciclovir in Patients With Active Recurrent Genital Herpes
NCT00306787	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Efficacy and Safety of Famciclovir 1-day Treatment Compared to 3-day Treatment With Valacyclovir in Adults With Recurrent Genital Herpes
NCT00878072	PHASE2/PHASE3	COMPLETED	Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Famciclovir Single 1500 mg Dose in Adolescents With Recurrent Herpes Labialis
NCT01281007	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Efficacy of Oral Famciclovir 125mg Comparing to Aciclovir 200 mg Treatment in Patients With Active Recurrent Genital Herpes
NCT01327144	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Efficacy of Oral Famciclovir Versus Aciclovir Treatment in Patients With Herpes Zoster
NCT01526408	PHASE3	TERMINATED	Famvir for Treatment of Hearing in Unilateral Meniere’s Disease
NCT00448227	PHASE2	COMPLETED	Pharmacokinetics, Acceptability and Safety of Famciclovir in Infants (1 Month to Less Than 12 Months) With Herpes Simplex Infection
NCT05283551	PHASE2	UNKNOWN	Famciclovir in Multiple Sclerosis
NCT01321502	Not specified	COMPLETED	Bioequivalency Study of Famciclovir 500 mg Tablets Under Fed Conditions
NCT01321515	Not specified	COMPLETED	Bioequivalency Study of Famciclovir 500 mg Tablets Under Fasted Conditions
NCT03120962	Not specified	UNKNOWN	Effect of Early Use of Oxycodone During the Acute Phase of Herpes Zoster on Preventing Postherpetic Neuralgia

Clinical evidence (CIViC)

No CIViC predictive evidence (expected for non-precision-medicine drugs).

Pharmacology

Pharmacogenomics

No CPIC/DPWG dosing guideline or drug-level clinical/variant annotations in PharmGKB for this molecule.

Related molecules

Related molecules

No competitor molecules sharing a primary target (ChEMBL phase ≥2 or PubChem drug-class).