Paxlovid Dosage

Generic name: NIRMATRELVIR 150mg; RITONAVIR 100mg
Dosage form: tablets
Drug class: Antiviral combinations

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 20, 2025.

Important Dosage and Administration Information

PAXLOVID is nirmatrelvir tablets co-packaged with ritonavir tablets. There are three different dose packs available:

•: PAXLOVID (nirmatrelvir; ritonavir) co-packaged for oral use 300 mg;100 mg.
•: PAXLOVID (nirmatrelvir; ritonavir) co-packaged for oral use 150 mg;100 mg for patients with moderate renal impairment.
•: PAXLOVID (nirmatrelvir; ritonavir) co-packaged for oral use 300 mg;100 mg (Day 1) and 150 mg;100 mg (Days 2-5) for patients with severe renal impairment.

Nirmatrelvir must be co-administered with ritonavir. Failure to correctly co-administer nirmatrelvir with ritonavir may result in plasma levels of nirmatrelvir that are insufficient to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.

Prescriptions should specify the numeric dose of each active ingredient within PAXLOVID. Completion of the full 5-day treatment course and continued isolation in accordance with public health recommendations are important to maximize viral clearance and minimize transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

The 5-day treatment course of PAXLOVID should be initiated as soon as possible after a diagnosis of COVID-19 has been made, and within 5 days of symptom onset even if baseline COVID-19 symptoms are mild. Should a patient require hospitalization due to severe or critical COVID-19 after starting treatment with PAXLOVID, the patient should complete the full 5-day treatment course per the healthcare provider's discretion.

If the patient misses a dose of PAXLOVID within 8 hours of the time it is usually taken, the patient should take it as soon as possible and resume the normal dosing schedule. If the patient misses a dose by more than 8 hours, the patient should not take the missed dose and instead take the next dose at the regularly scheduled time. The patient should not double the dose to make up for a missed dose.

PAXLOVID (both nirmatrelvir and ritonavir tablets) can be taken with or without food. The tablets should be swallowed whole and not chewed, broken, or crushed.

Recommended Dosage

The recommended dosage for PAXLOVID is 300 mg nirmatrelvir (two 150 mg tablets) with 100 mg ritonavir (one 100 mg tablet) with all 3 tablets taken together orally twice daily in the morning and at bedtime for 5 days.

Dosage in Patients with Renal Impairment

Prescriptions should specify the numeric dose of each active ingredient within PAXLOVID. Providers should counsel patients about renal dosing instructions.

No dosage adjustment is recommended in patients with mild renal impairment [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 to <90 mL/min].

In patients with moderate renal impairment (eGFR ≥30 to <60 mL/min) or with severe renal impairment (eGFR <30 mL/min) including those requiring hemodialysis, the dosage of PAXLOVID should be reduced as shown in Table 1. PAXLOVID should be administered at approximately the same time each day for 5 days. On days patients with severe renal impairment undergo hemodialysis, the PAXLOVID dose should be administered after hemodialysis.

Table 1: Recommended Dose and Regimen for Patients with Renal Impairment

Abbreviation: eGFR=estimated glomerular filtration rate.
* PAXLOVID should be administered at approximately the same time each day for 5 days. † On days of hemodialysis, the PAXLOVID dose should be administered after hemodialysis.
Renal Function	Days of Treatment	Dose and Dose Frequency*
Moderate renal impairment (eGFR ≥30 to <60 mL/min)	Days 1-5	150 mg nirmatrelvir (one 150 mg tablet) with 100 mg ritonavir (one 100 mg tablet) twice daily
Severe renal impairment (eGFR <30 mL/min) including those requiring hemodialysis†	Day 1	300 mg nirmatrelvir (two 150 mg tablets) with 100 mg ritonavir (one 100 mg tablet) once
	Days 2-5	150 mg nirmatrelvir (one 150 mg tablet) with 100 mg ritonavir (one 100 mg tablet) once daily

Use in Patients with Hepatic Impairment

No dosage adjustment is needed in patients with mild (Child-Pugh Class A) or moderate (Child-Pugh Class B) hepatic impairment.

No pharmacokinetic or safety data are available regarding the use of nirmatrelvir or ritonavir in subjects with severe (Child-Pugh Class C) hepatic impairment; therefore, PAXLOVID is not recommended for use in patients with severe hepatic impairment.