Trikafta vs. Kalydeco

Trikafta (elexacaftor, tezacaftor and ivacaftor tablets; ivacaftor tablets) and Kalydeco (ivacaftor) contain CFTR potentiators used to treat different forms of cystic fibrosis (CF).

Trikafta is used to treat used to treat cystic fibrosis in patients aged 12 years and older who have at least one F508del mutation in the CFTR gene. If the patient's genotype is unknown, an FDA-cleared CF mutation test should be used to confirm the presence of at least one F508del mutation.

Kalydeco is used to treat a rare form of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients ages 6 years and older who have the specific G551D mutation in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator (CFTR) gene.

Side effects of Trikafta and Kalydeco that are similar include headache, upper respiratory tract infection, stomach/abdominal pain, diarrhea, rash, and cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, post-nasal drip).

Side effects of Trikafta that are different from Kalydeco include influenza, increased alanine aminotransferase, increased blood creatine phosphokinase, increased aspartate aminotransferase, and increased blood bilirubin.

Side effects of Kalydeco that are different from Trikafta include stomach pain, nausea, acne, dizziness, and joint or muscle pain.

Both Trikafta and Kalydeco may interact with antibiotics and antifungals.

Trikafta may also interact with rifampin, rifabutin, seizure medications, St. John's wort, glimepiride and glipizide, digoxin, cyclosporine, everolimus, sirolimus, tacrolimus, statins, glyburide, nateglinide, and repaglinide.

Common side effects of Trikafta include:

• headache,
• upper respiratory tract infection,
• abdominal pain,
• diarrhea,
• rash,
• increased alanine aminotransferase,
• runny or stuffy nose,
• increased blood creatine phosphokinase,
• increased aspartate aminotransferase,
• sneezing or post-nasal drip,
• influenza,
• sinusitis, and
• increased blood bilirubin

Common side effects of Kalydeco include:

• upper respiratory tract infection,
• headache,
• stomach pain,
• nausea,
• rash,
• acne,
• diarrhea,
• dizziness,
• joint or muscle pain, or
• cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat).

Serious side effects of Kalydeco include:

• liver problems,
• severe stomach pain,
• chest pain,
• wheezing,
• shortness of breath,
• itching,
• loss of appetite,
• dark urine,
• clay-colored stools,
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), or
• low blood sugar (headache, hunger, weakness, sweating, confusion, irritability, dizziness, fast heart rate, or feeling jittery).

Trikafta (elexacaftor, tezacaftor and ivacaftor tablets; ivacaftor tablets) is a combination of ivacaftor, a CFTR potentiator, tezacaftor, and elexacaftor used to treat cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients aged 12 years and older who have at least one F508del mutation in the CFTR gene. If the patient’s genotype is unknown, an FDA-cleared CF mutation test should be used to confirm the presence of at least one F508del mutation.

Kalydeco (ivacaftor) film-coated tablets are a CFTR potentiator indicated for the treatment of a rare form of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients ages 6 years and older who have the specific G551D mutation in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator (CFTR) gene.

Trikafta may interact with other medicines such as:

• rifampin,
• rifabutin,
• seizure medications,
• St. John’s wort,
• azole antifungals,
• macrolide antibiotics,
• glimepiride and glipizide,
• digoxin,
• cyclosporine,
• everolimus,
• sirolimus,
• tacrolimus,
• statins,
• glyburide,
• nateglinide, and
• repaglinide

Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Kalydeco may interact with:

• grapefruit,
• grapefruit juice,
• Seville oranges,
• bosentan,
• conivaptan,
• dexamethasone,
• imatinib,
• isoniazid,
• midazolam,
• nefazodone,
• St. John's wort,
• antibiotics,
• antifungals,
• barbiturates,
• heart or blood pressure medications,
• hepatitis C medications,
• HIV/AIDS medications,
• medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection,
• medicines to treat narcolepsy, or
• seizure medications

Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

The morning dose of Trikafta for adults and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older is two elexacaftor 100 mg, tezacaftor 50 mg and ivacaftor 75 mg tablets. The evening dose of Trikafta for adults and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older is one ivacaftor 150 mg tablet. The morning and evening doses of Trikafta should be taken approximately 12 hours apart with fat-containing food.

In adults and pediatric patients age 6 years and older, one 150 mg Kalydeco tablet should be given orally every 12 hours with fat-containing food. Dosage of Kalydeco should be reduced when co-administered with moderate and severe hepatic impairment.