Ceptava®: Preferred Brand of Mycophenolic Acid
Key messages
- Ceptava® is now the preferred brand of mycophenolic acid in NHSGGC
- Ceptava® is interchangeable with Myfortic® and therefore no additional monitoring is required when switching between brands
- Patients currently on Myfortic® should be switched to Ceptava® when they next request a medication supply in community or are admitted to hospital
- This change does NOT apply to mycophenolate mofetil as mycophenolic acid and mycophenolate mofetil are not interchangeable (see below)
Mycophenolic acid is indicated in combination with ciclosporin and corticosteroids for the prophylaxis of acute transplant rejection in adult patients receiving allogeneic renal transplants.
Renal specialists have approved the implementation of Ceptava® as the preferred brand of mycophenolic acid on the NHSGGC Adult Formulary. Ceptava® has a lower acquisition cost than Myfortic®, the only alternative brand of mycophenolic acid available. Local renal specialists have endorsed switching patients if admitted to hospital or in primary care for community based patients.
Mycophenolic acid should not be confused with mycophenolate mofetil which has a wider range of indications and different dosage instructions. Mycophenolic acid and mycophenolate mofetil are not interchangeable.
NHSGGC acute hospitals will now only stock the Ceptava® brand of mycophenolic acid and prescribers in primary care will be prompted to switch patients from Myfortic® or generic mycophenolic acid tablets to Ceptava® by Scriptswitch® messaging. Prescribers will be reminded via Scriptswitch® to clearly communicate to patients any change to the brand of mycophenolic acid prescribed.
This switch is likely to have minimal impact for community pharmacy as patient numbers are low.
Published 03/11/2020. Medicines Update blogs are correct at the time of publication.