Cidofovir Injection
Cidofovir is an antiviral medication given by intravenous infusion to treat CMV retinitis (a serious eye infection caused by cytomegalovirus) in people with AIDS.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 2 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
⚠️ FDA Boxed Warning — the FDA’s strongest safety alert ▾
Serious kidney damage — including acute kidney failure requiring dialysis — can happen after just one or two doses of cidofovir. To reduce this risk, every infusion must be paired with intravenous saline (IV fluids) and the drug probenecid taken by mouth. Kidney function must be tested within 48 hours before every dose. Cidofovir must not be used alongside other drugs that can harm the kidneys. Cidofovir can also lower your white blood cell count (neutropenia), so blood counts need to be checked regularly. In animal studies, cidofovir caused cancer, birth defects, and reduced sperm production. Cidofovir is approved only for CMV retinitis in people with AIDS.
📖 Cidofovir Injection: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Cidofovir Injection — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
🎯What it's used for▾
Cidofovir injection is an antiviral used for one specific, serious indication:
- CMV retinitis in people with AIDS: CIDOFOVIR injection is approved to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis — a viral infection of the retina that can cause blindness — in adults who have AIDS.
- It is not approved for CMV pneumonia, CMV gastrointestinal disease, congenital (newborn) CMV disease, or CMV infections in people who are not HIV-positive.
⚙️How it works▾
Cidofovir targets the CMV virus directly. Inside cells, it is converted to its active form — cidofovir diphosphate — which blocks the viral enzyme (CMV DNA polymerase) the virus needs to replicate its genetic material. By inserting itself into the growing viral DNA chain, it slows and disrupts viral replication. Importantly, cidofovir diphosphate inhibits the viral enzyme at concentrations far lower than those needed to affect human cell enzymes, giving it some selectivity for the virus.
💊How it's taken▾
Cidofovir is given as an IV infusion in a clinic or hospital setting — never at home, never by mouth, and never directly into the eye. Treatment is typically divided into an induction phase (more frequent infusions) and a maintenance phase (less frequent). Every dose must be accompanied by oral probenecid and IV saline fluids to protect the kidneys, and kidney function must be tested within 48 hours before each infusion.
- Doses are adjusted or stopped if kidney function changes
- Your prescriber and care team will set your exact schedule — follow it closely
🤒Side effects — in detail▾
Cidofovir causes side effects in most people who receive it. The most common include:
- Protein in the urine (often the earliest kidney warning sign)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever and chills
- Neutropenia (low white blood cell count, raising infection risk)
- Weakness and fatigue
- Headache
- Rash
- Diarrhea
- Hair loss (alopecia)
- Anemia (low red blood cell count)
Serious reactions — including acute kidney failure, very low eye pressure causing vision changes, severe metabolic acidosis, and liver or pancreas problems — require immediate medical attention.
⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
- Kidney damage (nephrotoxicity): This is the biggest risk. Acute kidney failure has occurred after just one or two doses and has been fatal. Kidney tests are mandatory before every dose, and the drug must be stopped or reduced if function declines.
- Low white blood cell count (neutropenia): Can increase the risk of serious infections. Blood counts must be monitored throughout treatment.
- Decreased eye pressure (ocular hypotony): Can reduce visual acuity; people with diabetes may be at higher risk. Eye pressure should be checked regularly.
- Metabolic acidosis and Fanconi's syndrome: Cidofovir can damage the kidney's filtering tubules, causing chemical imbalances in the blood. Fatal cases involving liver failure and pancreatitis have been reported.
- Cancer, birth defects, and fertility: Animal studies showed cidofovir is carcinogenic, teratogenic, and causes reduced sperm production. Discuss these risks with your doctor.
🔀What it interacts with▾
Cidofovir has critical drug interactions — some are absolute contraindications:
- Other nephrotoxic drugs (IV aminoglycosides like tobramycin, gentamicin, and amikacin; amphotericin B; foscarnet; IV pentamidine; vancomycin; NSAIDs): must be stopped at least 7 days before starting cidofovir — combining them is contraindicated due to severe kidney damage risk
- Probenecid (given with every cidofovir dose): interacts with many common drugs including acetaminophen, acyclovir, methotrexate, furosemide, theophylline, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates — your whole medication list needs to be reviewed
- Zidovudine (AZT): probenecid raises zidovudine levels, so zidovudine must be stopped or its dose cut in half on each day of cidofovir infusion
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
📋Before taking it▾
- Do not use if your kidneys are already significantly impaired (lab values will be checked before starting)
- Do not use if you are allergic to cidofovir, probenecid, or sulfa-containing medications
- Tell your doctor about every medication you take — especially any that can affect kidney function
- Animal data showed cidofovir causes birth defects and reduced sperm production; discuss pregnancy and fertility concerns with your doctor before starting
- Effects of cidofovir in older adults, by gender, or by race have not been specifically studied
- Cidofovir injection must never be injected directly into the eye — this causes serious, potentially permanent eye damage including blindness
- Prior use of foscarnet has been linked to higher nephrotoxicity risk with cidofovir — tell your doctor if you have taken foscarnet
🚑If you take too much▾
Two cases of cidofovir overdose have been reported, in which patients received much higher-than-recommended single doses. Both patients were hospitalized and treated with oral probenecid and vigorous IV saline hydration for several days. Neither patient experienced significant kidney function changes. If an overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical care immediately.
📡Pharmacodynamics — effects in the body▾
Cidofovir's key measurable effect is suppression of CMV replication in the retina, which slows or halts progression of CMV retinitis. In clinical trials, patients receiving the higher maintenance dose had significantly longer time to retinitis progression compared to those receiving a lower dose or deferred therapy. The drug also lowers white blood cell counts and can reduce pressure inside the eye — both of which require monitoring during treatment.
🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾
Cidofovir is given intravenously and is excreted largely unchanged in urine within 24 hours — about 80–100% of the dose when given without probenecid. It binds very little to proteins in the blood (less than 6%). The kidneys clear cidofovir partly through active tubular secretion; probenecid blocks this secretion, which slows elimination and is why probenecid must always be co-administered. In patients with reduced kidney function, cidofovir clearance drops proportionally, and high-flux hemodialysis can remove about 75% of the drug from the blood.
📦How to store it▾
stored at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) .
📄 Written from Cidofovir Injection’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Cidofovir Injection
10 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Cidofovir Injection in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Major · 2
- Moderate · 7
- Minor · 1
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Cidofovir Injection — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What exactly is cidofovir used for? ▾
How is this medication given? Do I take it at home? ▾
What are the most important side effects I should know about? ▾
Are there any medications I absolutely cannot take with cidofovir? ▾
Why do I need to take probenecid every time I get cidofovir? ▾
Is cidofovir safe if I'm pregnant or trying to have children? ▾
Is Cidofovir Injection available over the counter? ▾
When was Cidofovir Injection first available? ▾
Who makes Cidofovir Injection? ▾
💬 Answers drafted from Cidofovir Injection’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 Keep exploring
💊 How Cidofovir Injection comes
Cidofovir Injection is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Injection
How this form is used
- CIDOFOVIR injection is used to treat CMV retinitis (a CMV-caused eye infection) in adults with AIDS
- CIDOFOVIR injection is not approved for other CMV infections, newborn CMV disease, or CMV in people without HIV
- CIDOFOVIR injection is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion by a healthcare provider — never injected directly into the eye
- CIDOFOVIR injection must be diluted in 100 mL of normal saline before each infusion
- Oral probenecid and IV saline prehydration must accompany every CIDOFOVIR infusion to protect the kidneys
- Kidney function (creatinine and urine protein) must be checked within 48 hours before each CIDOFOVIR dose
📊 Cidofovir Injection across the U.S. market
How Cidofovir Injection appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
📈 How widely Cidofovir Injection is used
A general measure of how commonly Cidofovir Injection is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Cidofovir Injection is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Cidofovir Injection prescribed? Of the 1,596 medications we measure, Cidofovir Injection ranks #1,481 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 7% of them.
Utilization by Cidofovir Injection product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
5 ML cidofovir 75 MG/ML Injection
Summed across the 2 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 199388
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Cidofovir Injection, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 2 of 2 listed Cidofovir Injection NDCs with Medicaid activity.
🔍 Compare Cidofovir Injection products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Cidofovir Injection — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Injection | ||||
| 375 mg/5 mL | Intravenous | Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc. × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 75 mg/mL | Intravenous | Mylan Institutional LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
Showing 3 of 3 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 3 Cidofovir Injection NDCs →
📈 What people report — real-world data (FDA FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Cidofovir Injection — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Cidofovir Injection in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ The road to your pharmacy
How Cidofovir Injection went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 83171 1 dose form · 1 strength
-
Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1731046In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 5 ML cidofovir 75 MG/MLRxCUI 199388
Look up RxCUI 83171 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Supply & shortage status
Whether Cidofovir Injection is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Sold under these brand names
🏭 Manufacturers & labelers
RxNorm drug class
Cidofovir Injection belongs to the Cytomegalovirus Nucleoside Analog DNA Polymerase Inhibitor class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Where this comes from
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 2 FDA-filed SPL label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. Mylan Institutional LLC is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.