Description and Brand Names
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
US Brand Name
- Zepatier
Descriptions
Elbasvir and grazoprevir combination is used with or without ribavirin to treat chronic hepatitis C infection.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before Using
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of elbasvir and grazoprevir combination in children younger than 12 years of age weighing less than 30 kilograms (kg). Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Geriatric
Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of elbasvir and grazoprevir combination in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have liver problems, which may require caution in patients receiving this medicine.
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
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Atazanavir
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Carbamazepine
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Cyclosporine
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Darunavir
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Efavirenz
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Elagolix
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Eltrombopag
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Enzalutamide
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Fosphenytoin
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Lopinavir
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Mitotane
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Phenytoin
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Rifampin
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Ritonavir
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Saquinavir
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St John's Wort
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Tipranavir
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
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Abametapir
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Alpelisib
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Asciminib
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Atogepant
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Atorvastatin
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Avacopan
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Bosentan
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Ceftobiprole Medocaril
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Clarithromycin
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Cobicistat
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Conivaptan
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Darolutamide
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Drospirenone
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Elexacaftor
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Eluxadoline
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Encorafenib
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Ethinyl Estradiol
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Etonogestrel
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Etravirine
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Fedratinib
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Fexinidazole
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Fosnetupitant
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Fostemsavir
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Itraconazole
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Ketoconazole
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Leflunomide
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Leniolisib
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Mavacamten
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Midostaurin
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Modafinil
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Nafcillin
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Netupitant
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Nirmatrelvir
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Norethindrone
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Norgestimate
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Omaveloxolone
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Ozanimod
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Phenobarbital
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Primidone
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Resmetirom
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Rosuvastatin
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Tacrolimus
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Talazoparib
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Tenofovir Alafenamide
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Teriflunomide
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Topotecan
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Trofinetide
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Ubrogepant
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Voclosporin
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Warfarin
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
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Hepatitis B, history of—Use with caution. May cause this condition to become active again.
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Liver disease, moderate to severe—Should not be used in patients with this condition.
Proper Use
To help clear up your infection completely, take Zepatier® together with or without ribavirin for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. Also, it is important to keep the amount of medicine in your body at a steady level. To help keep the amount constant, Zepatier® must be used on a regular schedule.
This medicine should come with a patient information leaflet. Read and follow the information carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.
You may take this medicine with or without food.
Make sure you understand how to use all of the medicines your doctor prescribed.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
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For oral dosage form (tablets):
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For chronic hepatitis C infection (used together with or without ribavirin):
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Adults and children 12 years of age and older or weighing 30 kilograms (kg) or more—One tablet once a day. Each tablet contains 50 milligrams (mg) of elbasvir and 100 mg of grazoprevir.
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Children younger than 12 years of age weighing less than 30 kg—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Storage
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep the tablets in the original container until you are ready to use it.
Precautions
It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.
Using this medicine together with ribavirin while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Birth defects may occur if the father is using this medicine when his sexual partner becomes pregnant. If a pregnancy occurs while you are using this medicine, tell your doctor right away.
Do not use the following medicines while you are using Zepatier®: cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®), rifampin (Rifadin®, Rimactane®), St. John's wort, medicine to treat HIV infection (including atazanavir, darunavir, efavirenz, lopinavir, saquinavir, tipranavir, Invirase®, Kaletra®, Reyataz®, Sustiva®), or medicine to treat seizures (including carbamazepine, phenytoin, Dilantin®, Tegretol®).
Check with your doctor right away if you are weak or tired, have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
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Discouragement
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feeling sad or empty
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irritability
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loss of appetite
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loss of interest or pleasure
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trouble concentrating
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trouble sleeping
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unusual tiredness
Incidence not known
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Dark urine
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fever with or without chills
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large, hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
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light-colored stools
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nausea and vomiting
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upper stomach pain
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yellow eyes or skin
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
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Headache
Less common
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Diarrhea
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stomach pain
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Portions of this document last updated: Aug. 01, 2024
Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/ar/drugs-supplements/elbasvir-grazoprevir-oral-route/proper-use/drg-20311292