People with CF pictured may
or may not be taking ORKAMBI.
How to take ORKAMBI®
Take ORKAMBI every 12 hours as directed
Remember, every 12 hours is not the same as “twice a day.” Your healthcare provider will tell you exactly how much ORKAMBI you or your child should take and when it should be taken.
A fat-containing meal or snack helps the body better absorb the medicine. ORKAMBI should always be taken before or after a meal or snack that contains fat. Get recipes for fat-containing meals and snacks.
How to Take ORKAMBI
Oral Granules (Children
Age 2 Through 5 Years)
How to Take ORKAMBI
Tablets (People Age 6
Years and Older)
Designed with a young child in mind
ORKAMBI comes in single-use, oral granule packets for children age 2 through 5 years with CF. The oral granules are similar in size to flour particles and should be mixed with 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of soft food or liquid.
Dosage strengths for ORKAMBI oral granules
ORKAMBI oral granules are prescribed based on weight and come in 2 different strengths.
| WEIGHT-BASED DOSE | EACH DOSE | TOTAL DAILY DOSE |
|---|---|---|
 Less than ~31 lbs (less than 14 kg) lumacaftor 100 mg/ivacaftor 125 mg |
1 packet every 12 hours |
2 packets per day |
 Greater than or equal to ~31 lbs (more than 14 kg)lumacaftor 150 mg/ivacaftor 188 mg |
1 packet every 12 hours |
2 packets per day |
| WEIGHT-BASED DOSE |
| Less than ~31 lbs (less than 14 kg) lumacaftor 100 mg/ivacaftor 125 mg |
| EACH DOSE |
| 1 packet every 12 hours |
| TOTAL DAILY DOSE |
| 2 packets per day |
| WEIGHT-BASED DOSE |
| Greater than or equal to ~31 lbs (more than 14 kg) lumacaftor 150 mg/ivacaftor 188 mg |
| EACH DOSE |
| 1 packet every 12 hours |
| TOTAL DAILY DOSE |
| 2 packets per day |
Remember, having your child take ORKAMBI every 12 hours is not the same as having him or her take it twice a day.
Your child should take ORKAMBI, plus all of your child's other CF therapies, exactly as your child's healthcare provider says they should be taken.
How ORKAMBI oral granules are packaged
Every carton of ORKAMBI has 56 ORKAMBI oral granule packets, organized in 4 weekly wallets. Each wallet has 2 packets for each of the 7 days in a week.
How to give your child ORKAMBI oral granules
| STEP 1: Preparation |
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| STEP 2: Administration |
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| STEP 3: Fat-containing food before or after dose |
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What to do if your child misses a dose of ORKAMBI
If a dose of ORKAMBI is missed and it is within 6 hours of when it’s usually taken, your child should take the dose 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 taken, skip that dose only and take the next dose at the usual time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.
If your child goes more than 1 week without taking ORKAMBI, tell your child’s healthcare provider. He or she may need to change the ORKAMBI dose, or other medicines being taken.
Tips for helping your child take ORKAMBI oral granules
Your child may find that ORKAMBI oral granules have a bitter taste. Every dose matters, so it's important to make sure your child completely finishes the ORKAMBI mixture at each dose. Here are a few tips that may help.
Give your child ORKAMBI oral granules with 5 mL of soft food or liquid that is sweet or rich like pudding, yogurt, chocolate sauce, or caramel sauce. Melted ice cream is also a nice treat to mix with granules.
Maple syrup or honey may help with the aftertaste of ORKAMBI—you can give some to your child after he or she completely finishes the dose of ORKAMBI. It’s worth a sweet shot!
Numb the taste buds before taking ORKAMBI by having your child eat an ice pop or another cold treat before his or her dose.
Put some control in your child’s hands by letting him or her decide what fat-containing food to eat before or after the dose. A slice of whole-milk cheese pizza or another favorite fat-containing food after ORKAMBI could be a tasty reward.
Does your child have a favorite doll or toy? Holding a special toy while taking ORKAMBI may make your child feel more comfortable.
Try creating a rewards system for finishing ORKAMBI, such as collecting stickers. You know best how to keep your child 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
Each carton of ORKAMBI has 4 weekly wallets. Inside each weekly wallet are 7 daily blister strips. Every blister strip contains 4 tablets: 2 for the morning, and 12 hours later, 2 for the evening. When taking ORKAMBI, remove 2 tablets from the blister strip (do not push tablet through backing).
You can cut along the blister strip’s dotted line to separate your or your child’s morning and evening doses, which contain the same amount of medicine.
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What to do if you or your child misses a dose of ORKAMBI
If a dose of ORKAMBI is missed and it is within 6 hours of when it’s usually taken, you or your child should take the dose 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 taken, skip that dose only and take the next dose at the usual time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose.
If you go or your child goes more than 1 week without taking ORKAMBI, tell your or your child’s healthcare provider. He or she may need to change the ORKAMBI dose, or other medicines being taken.
