Raw research findings for this medication. Mostly single studies, not curated or confirmed robust.
Zidovudine (AZT) was the first HIV medicine, approved in 1987: a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that is built into viral DNA and stops it from growing. It is now used mainly to prevent HIV passing from mother to baby around birth, and in some combinations; anaemia and other side effects have limited its use elsewhere. It is sold as Retrovir, among other names.
Zidovudine is cleared mainly by UGT2B7, which joins it to glucuronic acid, and it is activated inside cells by kinases. Studies have looked at UGT2B7 and at the transporters ABCC1, ABCC4 and ABCB1 for its levels and response. The findings come from a few studies, and there is no CPIC or DPWG guideline.
Every published finding on gene variants and Zidovudine. Upload your DNA file to see which of these rows apply to you.
PharmGKB weighs all studies of a variant and rates how strong the evidence is, from 1A (strongest) to 4.
UGT2B7 rs28365062: Level 3. Other. 1.
ABCC4 rs11568695: Level 3. Other: HIV infectious disease. 1.
ABCC1 rs212091: Level 3. Efficacy: HIV infectious disease. 1.
Studies of how quickly the body processes this medication.
Studies of how well it worked in people carrying a variant.
Study findings and evidence levels: PharmGKB (CC BY-SA 4.0). Guidelines: CPIC and DPWG, as bundled in PharmCAT. Most studies were done mainly in people of European ancestry.
More drugs from the same category
Not a prescribing recommendation. This page is educational information about pharmacogenomic research and clinical guidelines - it is not medical or dosing advice, and not a prediction of how any medication will work for you. Never start, stop, or change a medication or dose based on it; talk to your doctor or pharmacist, who can order clinical-grade testing if appropriate.
Content updated September 2026.
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