Famciclovir tablets may be taken with or without food.
2.1 Dosing Recommendation in Immunocompetent Adult Patients
Herpes labialis (cold sores)
The recommended dosage of famciclovir tablets for the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis is 1500 mg as a single dose. Therapy should be initiated at the first sign or symptom of herpes labialis (e.g., tingling, itching, burning, pain, or lesion).
Genital herpes
Recurrent episodes
The recommended dosage of famciclovir tablets for the treatment of recurrent episodes of genital herpes is 1000 mg twice daily for 1 day. Therapy should be initiated at the first sign or symptom of a recurrent episode (e.g., tingling, itching, burning, pain, or lesion).
Suppressive therapy
The recommended dosage of famciclovir tablets for chronic suppressive therapy of recurrent episodes of genital herpes is 250 mg twice daily.
Herpes zoster (shingles)
The recommended dosage of famciclovir tablets for the treatment of herpes zoster is 500 mg every 8 hours for 7 days. Therapy should be initiated as soon as herpes zoster is diagnosed.
2.2 Dosing Recommendation in HIV-Infected Adult Patients
Recurrent orolabial or genital herpes
The recommended dosage of famciclovir tablets for the treatment of recurrent orolabial or genital herpes in HIV-infected patients is 500 mg twice daily for 7 days. Therapy should be initiated at the first sign or symptom of a recurrent episode (e.g., tingling, itching, burning, pain, or lesion).
2.3 Dosing Recommendation in Patients with Renal Impairment
Dosage recommendations for adult patients with renal impairment are provided in Table 1 [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6), Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
Table 1: Dosage Recommendations for Adult Patients with Renal Impairment
*
Hemodialysis
Indication and Normal Dosage
Regimen
Creatinine Clearance
(mL/min)
Adjusted Dosage
Regimen Dose (mg)
Dosing Interval
Single-Day Dosing Regimens
Recurrent Genital Herpes
1000 mg every 12 hours for 1 day
≥60
1000
every 12 hours for 1 day
40-59
500
every 12 hours for 1 day
20-39
500
single dose
<20
250
single dose
HD*
250
single dose following
dialysis
Recurrent Herpes Labialis
1500 mg single dose
≥60
1500
single dose
40-59
750
single dose
20-39
500
single dose
<20
250
single dose
HD*
250
single dose following
dialysis
Multiple-Day Dosing Regimens
Herpes zoster
500 mg every 8 hours
≥ 60
500
every 8 hours
40-59
500
every 12 hours
20-39
500
every 24 hours
<20
250
every 24 hours
HD
250
following each dialysis
Suppression of Recurrent
Genital Herpes
250 mg every 12 hours
≥40
250
every 12 hours
20-39
125
every 12 hours
<20
125
every 24 hours
HD*
125
following each dialysis
Recurrent Orolabial
or Genital Herpes
in HIV-Infected Patients
500 mg every 12 hours
≥40
500
every 12 hours
20-39
500
every 24 hours
<20
250
every 24 hours
HD*
250
following each dialysis