How do you take Orkambi?

Orkambi should be taken every 12 hours with fat-containing food such as eggs, avocados, nuts, butter, peanut butter, cheese, and whole-milk dairy products. Granules are available for younger children aged one through five years and these should be mixed with one teaspoon of soft food or liquid. Other therapies prescribed for CF - including bronchodilators, inhaled antibiotics, dornase alfa, and hypertonic saline - should continue to be used if you are prescribed Orkambi.

Orkambi, is a combination therapy containing ivacaftor and lumacaftor that was approved for CF in July, 2015 for patients with two copies of the F508del mutation in their CFTR gene, who are aged 1 year and older. Inheriting two copies of the F508del mutation (one from each parent) is the leading cause of CF.

Evidence shows Orkambi improves lung function in people with CF. Side effects may include shortness of breath, upper respiratory tract infection, nausea, diarrhea, or rash. Menstrual abnormalities, such as increased bleeding, may be experienced by some women.