Take ORKAMBI every 12 hours as directed
Your healthcare provider will tell you exactly how much ORKAMBI you or your loved one should take and when it should be taken.
Avoid foods and drinks that contain grapefruit during your loved one's first week taking ORKAMBI because they can increase the amount of ORKAMBI in their body.
What to take when
Designed with a young child in mind
Dosage strengths for ORKAMBI oral granules
AGE | WEIGHT-BASED DOSE | RECOMMENDED DOSE |
---|---|---|
1 through 2 years old
|
7 kg to less than 9 kg (~15 lb to less than ~20 lb) lumacaftor 75 mg/ivacaftor 94 mg |
1 packet every 12 hours (2 packets per day) |
9 kg to less than 14 kg (~20 lb to less than ~31 lb) lumacaftor 100 mg/ivacaftor 125 mg |
||
14 kg or more (~31 lb or more) lumacaftor 150 mg/ivacaftor 188 mg |
||
2 through 5 years old
|
Less than 14 kg (less than ~31 lb) lumacaftor 100 mg/ivacaftor 125 mg |
|
14 kg or more (~31 lb or more) lumacaftor 150 mg/ivacaftor 188 mg |
AGE 1 THROUGH 2 YEARS OLD |
---|
WEIGHT-BASED DOSE |
7 kg to less than 9 kg (~15 lb to less than ~20 lb) lumacaftor 75 mg/ivacaftor 94 mg |
9 kg to less than 14 kg (~20 lb to less than ~31 lb) lumacaftor 100 mg/ivacaftor 125 mg |
14 kg or more (~31 lb or more) lumacaftor 150 mg/ivacaftor 188 mg |
Recommended Dose |
1 packet every 12 hours (2 packets per day) |
AGE 2 THROUGH 5 YEARS OLD |
---|
WEIGHT-BASED DOSE |
Less than 14 kg (less than ~31 lb) lumacaftor 100 mg/ivacaftor 125 mg |
14 kg or more (~31 lb or more) lumacaftor 150 mg/ivacaftor 188 mg |
Recommended Dose |
1 packet every 12 hours (2 packets per day) |
How ORKAMBI oral granules are packaged
For children age 1 through 2 years
weighing 7 kg to less than 9 kg
(~15 lb to less than ~20 lb)
and children age 2 through 5 years
weighing less than 14 kg (less than ~31 lb)
For children age 1 through 2 years
weighing 14 kg or more (~31 lb or more)
and children age 2 through 5 years
weighing 14 kg or more (~31 lb or more)
What if your loved one misses a dose of ORKAMBI?
- If a dose of ORKAMBI is missed and it is within 6 hours of when it is usually given, give that dose of ORKAMBI as prescribed with fat-containing food as soon as possible
- If a dose of ORKAMBI is missed and it is more than 6 hours after the time it is usually given, skip that dose only and give the next dose with fat-containing food when it is usually given. Do not give 2 doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose
- Tell your loved one's healthcare provider if your loved one stops taking ORKAMBI for more than 1 week. The healthcare provider may need to change your loved one's ORKAMBI dose or other medicines they may take
How to give your loved one ORKAMBI oral granules
STEP 1: Preparation
STEP 1: Preparation
- Hold the packet with the cut line on top
- Shake the packet gently to settle the ORKAMBI granules
- Tear or cut packet open along cut line
- Carefully pour all of the ORKAMBI granules in the packet into 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of soft food such as flavored pudding or yogurt, or liquid such as juice, in a small container. Food or liquid should be at or below room temperature
Here are examples of foods and liquids you can mix ORKAMBI granules into. Remember, every child is different, so be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about what the best options are for your loved one
- Breast milk
- Applesauce
- Infant formula
- Water
- Puréed fruit or vegetables
- Milk
- Yogurt or pudding (flavored if desired)
- Juice
- Breast milk
- Infant formula
- Puréed fruit or vegetables
- Yogurt or pudding (flavored if desired)
- Applesauce
- Water
- Milk
- Juice
- Then, mix the granules with the 1 teaspoon of food or liquid
STEP 2: Administration
STEP 2: Administration
- Give ORKAMBI to your loved one within 1 hour of mixing
- Make sure the entire medicine mixture is taken
STEP 3: Fat-containing food before or after dose
STEP 3: Fat-containing food before or after dose
Always give ORKAMBI to your loved one with a fat-containing food
- Make sure to always give your loved one food that contains fat just before or after the dose of ORKAMBI oral granules. This helps the body absorb ORKAMBI better
Here are suggestions for fat-containing foods to give your loved one:
- Breast milk
- Eggs
- Cheese pizza
- Infant formula
- Whole-milk cheese
- Nuts
- Whole milk
- Butter
- Avocados
- Whole-milk yogurt
- Peanut butter
- Breast milk
- Infant formula
- Whole milk
- Whole-milk yogurt
- Eggs
- Whole-milk cheese
- Butter
- Peanut butter
- Cheese pizza
- Nuts
- Avocados
- Talk to your healthcare provider about fat-containing foods appropriate for your loved one when taking ORKAMBI granules
Tips for helping your loved one take ORKAMBI oral granules
Mix the granules with 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of soft food or liquid that is sweet or rich, like pudding, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or melted ice cream.
Give your loved one something sweet, like maple syrup or honey, after they completely finish the dose. It may help with the aftertaste.
Numb the taste buds before taking ORKAMBI by having your loved one eat an ice pop or another cold treat before each dose.
Put some control in your loved one's hands by letting them choose a favorite fat-containing food to eat before or after taking ORKAMBI.
Does your loved one have a favorite doll or toy? Holding a special toy while taking ORKAMBI may make your loved one feel more comfortable.
Try creating a rewards system for finishing ORKAMBI, such as collecting stickers. You know best how to keep your loved one motivated!
Dosage strengths for ORKAMBI tablets
AGE | EACH TABLET | EACH DOSE | TOTAL DAILY DOSE |
---|---|---|---|
Children age 6 through 11 years | Lumacaftor 100 mg/ ivacaftor 125 mg | 2 tablets every 12 hours | 4 tablets per day |
People age 12 years and older | Lumacaftor 200 mg/ ivacaftor 125 mg | 2 tablets every 12 hours | 4 tablets per day |
AGE |
Children age 6 through 11 years |
EACH TABLET |
Lumacaftor 100 mg/ ivacaftor 125 mg |
EACH DOSE |
2 tablets every 12 hours |
TOTAL DAILY DOSE |
4 tablets per day |
AGE |
People age 12 years and older |
EACH TABLET |
Lumacaftor 200 mg/ ivacaftor 125 mg |
EACH DOSE |
2 tablets every 12 hours |
TOTAL DAILY DOSE |
4 tablets per day |
How ORKAMBI tablets are packaged
What if you or your loved one misses a dose of ORKAMBI?
- If you or your loved one misses a dose of ORKAMBI and it is within 6 hours of when it's usually taken, you or your loved one should take the dose as prescribed with fat-containing food as soon as possible
- If you or your loved one misses a dose and it is more than 6 hours after the time it's usually taken, you or your loved one should skip that dose only and take the next dose with fat-containing food at the usual time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose
- Tell your healthcare provider if you or your loved one stops taking ORKAMBI for more than 1 week. Your healthcare provider may need to change the ORKAMBI dose or other medicines
If I mix the ORKAMBI oral granules with a fat-containing food, do I still need to give my loved one fat-containing food afterwards?
Does the temperature of the food that I mix with ORKAMBI oral granules matter? Can the granules be mixed in foods that are hot or cold?
Can my loved one swallow the granules without mixing them in soft food or liquid?
My loved one vomited after taking the dose of ORKAMBI oral granules. What should I do?
If my loved one is napping when it is time for ORKAMBI oral granules, should I wait until they’re awake to administer them?
What can I do if my loved one doesn't like the taste of ORKAMBI granules?
How are ORKAMBI oral granules packaged?
Are the oral granules packets child proof?
How should ORKAMBI oral granules and tablets be stored?
How are ORKAMBI tablets packaged?
Can I separate the doses on the blister cards?
My loved one is over 6 years old and has trouble swallowing pills. Can my loved one take oral granules?
What should my loved one avoid while taking ORKAMBI?
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Before taking ORKAMBI, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have or have had liver problems
- are allergic to ORKAMBI or any ingredients in ORKAMBI. See the Patient Information for a list of ingredients
- have kidney problems
- have lung problems
- have had an organ transplant
- are using birth control (hormonal contraceptives, including oral, injectable, transdermal, or implantable forms). Hormonal contraceptives should not be used as a method of birth control when taking ORKAMBI. Talk to your doctor about the best birth control method you should use while taking ORKAMBI
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ORKAMBI will harm your unborn baby. You and your doctor should decide if you will take ORKAMBI while you are pregnant
- are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if ORKAMBI passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take ORKAMBI while you are breastfeeding
What is ORKAMBI® (lumacaftor/ivacaftor)?
ORKAMBI is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients aged 1 year and older who have two copies of the F508del mutation (F508del/F508del) in their CFTR gene.
ORKAMBI should not be used in patients other than those who have two copies of the F508del mutation in their CFTR gene.
It is not known if ORKAMBI is safe and effective in children under 1 year of age.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
ORKAMBI may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how ORKAMBI works. The dose of ORKAMBI may need to be adjusted when taken with certain medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a list of these medicines if you are not sure.
Especially tell your doctor if you take:
- antibiotics: rifampin (RIFAMATE®, RIFATER®) or rifabutin (MYCOBUTIN®)
- seizure medicines: phenobarbital, carbamazepine (TEGRETOL®, CARBATROL®, and EQUETRO®), or phenytoin (DILANTIN®, PHENYTEK®)
- sedatives and anti-anxiety medicines: triazolam (HALCION®) or midazolam (DORMICUM®, HYPNOVEL®, and VERSED®)
- immunosuppressant medicines: cyclosporine, everolimus (ZORTRESS®), sirolimus (RAPAMUNE®), or tacrolimus (ASTAGRAF XL®, ENVARSUS XR®, PROGRAF®, and PROTOPIC®)
- St. John’s wort
- antifungal medicines including ketoconazole, itraconazole (such as SPORANOX®), posaconazole (such as NOXAFIL®), or voriconazole (such as VFEND®)
- antibiotics including telithromycin, clarithromycin (such as BIAXIN®), or erythromycin (such as ERY-TAB®)
What should I avoid while taking ORKAMBI?
- Do not eat or drink grapefruit products during your first week of treatment with ORKAMBI. Eating or drinking grapefruit products can increase the amount of ORKAMBI in your blood
What are the possible side effects of ORKAMBI?
ORKAMBI can cause serious side effects, including:
- Worsening of liver function in people with severe liver disease. The worsening of liver function can be serious or cause death. Talk to your doctor if you have been told you have liver disease as your doctor may need to adjust the dose of ORKAMBI
- High liver enzymes in the blood, which can be a sign of liver injury in people receiving ORKAMBI. Your doctor will do blood tests to check your liver:
- before you start ORKAMBI
- every 3 months during your first year of taking ORKAMBI
- every year while you are taking ORKAMBI
Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms of liver problems:
- pain or discomfort in the upper right stomach (abdominal) area
- yellowing of your skin or the white part of your eyes
- loss of appetite
- nausea or vomiting
- dark, amber-colored urine
- confusion
- Serious allergic reactions have happened to people who are treated with ORKAMBI. Call your doctor or go to the emergency room right away if you have any symptoms of an allergic reaction. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
- rash or hives
- tightness of the chest or throat or difficulty breathing
- swelling of the face, lips, and/or tongue, or difficulty swallowing
- light-headedness or dizziness
- Breathing problems such as trouble breathing, shortness of breath or chest tightness in patients when starting ORKAMBI, especially in patients who have poor lung function. Call your doctor right away if you experience these symptoms
- An increase in blood pressure in some people receiving ORKAMBI. Call your doctor right away if you have an increase in blood pressure
- Abnormality of the eye lens (cataract) in some children and adolescents receiving ORKAMBI. If you are a child or adolescent, your doctor should perform eye examinations before and during treatment with ORKAMBI to look for cataracts
The most common side effects of ORKAMBI include:
- breathing problems such as shortness of breath and chest tightness
- nausea
- diarrhea
- fatigue
- increase in a certain blood enzyme called creatine phosphokinase
- rash
- gas
- common cold, including sore throat, stuffy or runny nose
- flu or flu-like symptoms
- irregular, missed, or abnormal periods (menses) and increase in the amount of menstrual bleeding
Side effects seen in children are similar to those seen in adults and adolescents. Additional common side effects seen in children include:
- cough with sputum
- stuffy nose
- headache
- stomach pain
- increase in sputum
Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all the possible side effects of ORKAMBI. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
For further information, please see full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information.