What’s the difference between Vyndaqel and Vyndamax?

Vyndaqel (tafamidis meglumine) and Vyndamax (tafamidis) are prescription medications used for the treatment of cardiomyopathy caused by transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR-CM).

Both Vyndaqel and Vyndamax contain the same active ingredient called tafamidis. The difference between Vyndaqel and Vyndamax lies in the form of tafamidis they contain.

Vyndaqel contains the micronized meglumine salt of tafamidis, while Vyndamax contains the free acid form of tafamidis. Vyndamax was developed for patient convenience and this formulation allows patients to take just one capsule once per day. Patients taking Vyndaqel, on the other hand, need to take four capsules once a day.

Vyndaqel and Vyndamax are so similar that Pfizer was able to gain US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Vyndamax using its clinical trial data for Vyndaqel. Treatment with Vyndaqel or Vyndamax is intended to reduce death and hospitalization due to heart problems in people with ATTR-CM.

ATTR-CM is a rare disease caused by the buildup of a protein called amyloid, which is made of transthyretin,in the main pumping chamber of the heart. This causes the heart to become stiff and not function well, which leads to cardiomyopathy and progressive heart failure.

Vyndaqel and Vyndamax are transthyretin stabilizers that work by binding to transthyretin. This stabilizes the tetramer of the transthyretin transport protein and slows the formation of amyloid.