“May all be happy, may all be healed, may all be at peace and may no one ever suffer."
Famciclovir rapidly undergoes biotransformation to penciclovir, which has inhibitory activity against HSV types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Thymidine kinase then phosphorylates penciclovir to a monophosphate form, which is then converted to penciclovir triphosphate. This inhibits HSV-2 DNA polymerase by competing with deoxyguanosine triphosphate, thus inhibiting herpes viral DNA synthesis and replication.