Pharmacokinetics of antivirals in neonate

The pharmacokinetic parameters of antivirals differ in the neonate and in the adult. The Cl is reduced and t1/2 is increased in the neonate compared with the adult for zidovudine, lamivudine and ganciclovir. tmax is generally greater in the neonate than in the adult due to reduced absorption rate in the neonate. The Vd of nelfinavir, nevirapine and pleconaril is greater in the newborn than in the adult. The neonate is a developing organism and the pharmacokinetic parameters of antivirals vary during the first weeks of life.