Abacavir is an antiviral nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used in combination with other antiretrovirals for the treatment of HIV.

Intracellularly, Abacavir is converted by cellular enzymes to the active metabolite Carbovir triphosphate, an analog of deoxyguanosine-5′-triphosphate (dGTP). Carbovir triphosphate inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) activity by competing with the natural substrate dGTP and incorporating it into viral DNA. Viral DNA growth is terminated because the incorporated nucleotide lacks a 3′-OH group, which is needed to form the 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage essential for DNA chain elongation.

Abacavir EP Impurity E is an impurity of Abacavir. This item is for laboratory research use only, not for human consumption.