SYMKEVI 100 MG/150 MG FILM-COATED TABLETS
How to use SYMKEVI 100 MG/150 MG FILM-COATED TABLETS
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This page provides general information and does not replace a doctor’s consultation. Always consult a doctor before taking any medication. Seek urgent medical care if symptoms are severe.
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Introduction
Package Leaflet: Information for the Patient
Symkevi 50 mg/75 mg film-coated tablets
Symkevi 100 mg/150 mg film-coated tablets
tezacaftor/ivacaftor
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet, you may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
Contents of the pack
- What is Symkevi and what is it used for
- What you need to know before you take Symkevi
- How to take Symkevi
- Possible side effects
- Storing Symkevi
- Contents of the pack and other information
1. What is Symkevi and what is it used for
Symkevi contains two active substances,tezacaftor and ivacaftor. This medicine helps the lung cells to work better in some patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is an inherited condition where the lungs and digestive system can become clogged with thick, sticky mucus.
Symkevi works on a protein called CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator), which is damaged in some people with CF (who have a mutation in the CFTRgene). Ivacaftor makes the protein work better while tezacaftor increases the amount of protein on the cell surface. Symkevi is usually taken with ivacaftor, another medicine.
Symkevi taken together with ivacaftor is for the long-term treatment of patients aged 6 years and older who have CF with certain genetic mutations that result in a reduction in the amount and/or function of the CFTR protein.
Symkevi taken together with ivacaftor helps with breathing by improving lung function. You may notice that you do not get sick as often and/or that it is easier to gain weight.
2. What you need to know before you take Symkevi
Do not take Symkevi:
- if you are allergic to tezacaftor, ivacaftor or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
Consult your doctor,without taking the tablets, if this applies to you.
Warnings and precautions
- Tell your doctor if you have liver problems or have had them in the past. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose.
- Your doctor will do some blood tests to check how your liver is working before and during treatment with Symkevi, especially if your blood tests have shown elevated liver enzymes in the past. An increase in liver enzymes in the blood has been seen in CF patients taking Symkevi.
- Liver damage and worsening of liver function have been seen in patients with severe liver disease who received other CFTR modulators. The worsening of liver function can be severe and may require a transplant.
Tell your doctor immediatelyif you have any symptoms of liver problems. These are listed in section 4.
- Depression (including thoughts of suicide and suicidal behaviour) has been reported in patients taking Symkevi, usually appearing in the first three months of treatment. Consult your doctor immediately if you (or someone taking this medicine) experience any of the following symptoms, which may be signs of depression: sad or altered mood, anxiety, feeling of emotional distress or thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
- Your doctor may perform eye examinationsbefore and during treatment with Symkevi. In some children and adolescents who have taken this treatment, cataracts (clouding of the lens in the eye) have occurred without affecting vision.
- Tell your doctor if you have kidney problemsor have had them in the past.
- Tell your doctorbefore starting treatment if you have had an organ transplant.
Children under 6 years
Symkevi must not be used in children under 6 years. It is not known if Symkevi is safe and effective in children under 6 years.
Other medicines and Symkevi
Tell your doctor or pharmacistif you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. Some medicines may affect how Symkevi works or may increase the chance of side effects. In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. Your doctor may need to change the dose of one of your medicines if you are taking some of these.
- Antifungals(used to treat fungal infections). These include ketoconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole and fluconazole.
- Antibiotics(used to treat bacterial infections). These include telithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, rifampicin and rifabutin.
- Anticonvulsants(used to treat epilepsy and seizures). These include phenobarbital, carbamazepine and phenytoin.
- Herbal products.These include St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum).
- Immunosuppressants(used after an organ transplant). These include ciclosporin, tacrolimus, sirolimus and everolimus.
- Cardiac glycosides(used to treat certain heart conditions). These include digoxin.
- Anticoagulants(used to prevent blood clots). These include warfarin.
- Medicines for diabetes.These include glimepiride and glipizide.
Taking Symkevi with food and drinks
Avoid foods or drinks that contain grapefruit during treatment as they may increase the side effects of Symkevi by increasing the amount of Symkevi in the blood.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
- Pregnancy: it may be better to avoid using this medicine during pregnancy. Your doctor will help you decide what is best for you and your baby.
- Breast-feeding: tezacaftor and ivacaftor may be excreted in breast milk. Your doctor will consider the benefit of breast-feeding for the child and the benefit of treatment for you in order to help you decide whether to stop breast-feeding or stop treatment.
Driving and using machines
Symkevi may cause dizziness. If you feel dizzy, do not drive, cycle or use machines unless you are sure you are not affected.
Symkevi contains sodium
This medicine contains less than 23 mg of sodium (1 mmol) per dose unit, which is essentially “sodium-free”.
3. How to take Symkevi
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you.
If you are not sure, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
There are different doses of Symkevi for different age groups. Check that you have been prescribed the correct dose (see below).
Symkevi is usually taken with ivacaftor.
Age | Morning | Evening |
(1 tablet) | (1 tablet) | |
6 to <12 years with weight <30 kg | 50 mg of tezacaftor/75 mg of ivacaftor | 75 mg of ivacaftor |
6 to <12 years with weight ≥30 kg | 100 mg of tezacaftor/150 mg of ivacaftor | 150 mg of ivacaftor |
12 years or older | 100 mg of tezacaftor/150 mg of ivacaftor | 150 mg of ivacaftor |
Take the tablets approximately 12 hours apart.
Take the Symkevi and ivacaftor tablets with fat-containing foods.Fat-containing meals or snacks are those prepared with butter or oils or those that contain eggs. Examples of other fat-containing foods are:
- Cheese, whole milk, whole-milk dairy products, yoghurt, chocolate
- Meat, oily fish
- Avocado, hummus (chickpea paste), soy products (tofu)
- Nuts, nut bars or fatty drinks
The tablets are taken by mouth.
Swallow the tablets whole.Do not chew, crush or break the tablets before swallowing.
You should continue to take all your other medicines as well, unless your doctor tells you to stop.
If you have liver problems,moderate or severe, your doctor may need to reduce your dose of the tablets, as your liver will not process this medicine as quickly as usual.
If you take more Symkevi than you should
Consult your doctor or pharmacist.If possible, take the medicine and this leaflet with you. You may experience side effects, including those listed in section 4 below.
If you forget to take Symkevi
- If you miss a dose of Symkevi or the ivacaftor tablet in the evening, and you remember within 6 hoursof the time you were supposed to take the dose, take the missed tablet as soon as possible.
- If more than 6 hourshave passed, do not take the missed tablet. Wait and take the next tablet at the usual time.
- Do nottake 2 tablets to make up for the missed dose.
If you stop taking Symkevi
Your doctor will tell you how long you need to take Symkevi. It is important that you take this medicine regularly. Do not make any changes unless your doctor tells you to.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Serious side effects
Possible signs of liver problems
An increase in liver enzymes in the blood is very common in patients with CF. This may be a sign of liver problems:
- Pain or discomfort in the upper right side of the stomach (abdominal area)
- Yellowing of the skin or the white part of the eyes
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- Dark-coloured urine
Depression
Signs of depression include a sad or altered mood, anxiety or feeling of emotional distress.
Tell your doctor immediatelyif you have any of these symptoms.
Side effects seen with Symkevi:
Very common(may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- Headache
- Common cold
Common(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Stuffy nose (nasal congestion)
- Dizziness
Side effects seen with ivacaftor:
Very common(may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- Infection in the upper respiratory tract (common cold), including sore throat and nasal congestion
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Stomach pain (abdominal pain)
- Diarrhoea
- Increased liver enzymes in the blood
- Rash
- Changes in the type of bacteria in the mucus
Common(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
- Runny nose
- Ear pain, discomfort in the ear
- Ringing in the ears
- Redness inside the ears
- Inner ear disorder (feeling of dizziness or spinning)
- Nasal congestion
- Redness of the throat
- Lump in the breast
Uncommon(may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- Ear blockage
- Breast inflammation
- Enlargement of breast tissue in men
- Changes or pain in the nipples
Additional side effects in children and adolescents
The side effects seen in children and adolescents are similar to those seen in adults.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. Storing Symkevi
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
The active substances are tezacaftor and ivacaftor.
Symkevi 50 mg of tezacaftor/75 mg of ivacaftor film-coated tablets
Each film-coated tablet contains 50 mg of tezacaftor and 75 mg of ivacaftor.
The other ingredients are:
- Tablet core: hypromellose acetate succinate, sodium lauryl sulfate (E487), hypromellose 2910 (E464), microcrystalline cellulose (E460(i)), sodium croscarmellose (E468) and magnesium stearate (E470b) (see section 2 “Symkevi contains sodium”).
- Tablet coating: hypromellose 2910 (E464), hydroxypropyl cellulose (E463), titanium dioxide (E171) and talc (E553b).
Symkevi 100 mg of tezacaftor/150 mg of ivacaftor film-coated tablets
Each film-coated tablet contains 100 mg of tezacaftor and 150 mg of ivacaftor.
The other ingredients are:
- Tablet core: hypromellose acetate succinate, sodium lauryl sulfate (E487), hypromellose 2910 (E464), microcrystalline cellulose (E460(i)), sodium croscarmellose (E468) and magnesium stearate (E470b) (see section 2 “Symkevi contains sodium”).
- Tablet coating: hypromellose 2910 (E464), hydroxypropyl cellulose (E463), titanium dioxide (E171), talc (E553b) and yellow iron oxide (E172).
Appearance and packaging
Symkevi 50 mg/75 mg film-coated tablets are oblong tablets (12.70 mm x 6.78 mm) white in colour with “V50” printed on one side and plain on the other.
Symkevi 100 mg/150 mg film-coated tablets are oblong tablets (15.9 mm x 8.5 mm) yellow in colour with “V100” printed on one side and plain on the other.
Symkevi is available in the following pack sizes:
Pack size of 28 tablets (4 blister cards of 7 tablets each).
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Ireland) Limited
Unit 49, Block 5, Northwood Court, Northwood Crescent,
Dublin 9, D09 T665,
Ireland
Tel.: +353 (0)1 761 7299
Manufacturer
Almac Pharma Services (Ireland) Limited
Finnabair Industrial Estate
Dundalk
Co. Louth
A91 P9KD
Ireland
Almac Pharma Services Limited
Seagoe Industrial Estate
Craigavon
County Armagh
BT63 5UA
United Kingdom
Date of last revision of this leaflet:
Other sources of information
Detailed information on this medicine is available on the European Medicines Agency web site: http://www.ema.europa.eu. There are also links to other web sites about rare diseases and orphan medicines.
- Country of registration
- Active substance
- Prescription requiredYes
- Manufacturer
- This information is for reference only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a doctor before taking any medication. Oladoctor is not responsible for medical decisions based on this content.
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