Quantification of lamivudine (3TC) by competitive immunoassay

Lamivudine or 3TC, the (-) eniantiomer of 2'-deoxy-3'-thiacytidine, is a pr ototype of a novel class of levogyre dideoxynucleosides analogues used in t reatment of HIV and HBV infection. We describe a method corresponding to th e first enzyme immunoassay for quantifying this antiviral drug. This techni que use an enzyme conjugate that not require the use of radioactive labelli ng. In this study, anti-3TC antibodies were raised in rabbits by immunising with 3TC-HS-kelhoyle limpet hemocyanin (KLH) conjugate.