This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Those of you in the USA may know more---are pharmacies allowed to continue co mpounding this. Here in Canada my pharmacist wasn't sure, as Fampyra was just approve. Is it different enough not to be a problem? Are there patent issues? Thanks!

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Kathy, 49 with PPMS,full time scooter.
Married to a wonderful man, mother to a darling 9 yr old boy

The key ingredient in Fampyra is 4-AP, a non-patented chemical, so yes, your pharmacy should be legally able to continue to supply it. I tried compounded 4-AP about 5 years ago, but stopped when I started to notice it wasn't as effective as it was originally. I also read somewhere that it could possibly hinder natural repairs.

I then later found out that 4-AP had a very short shelf life. Now I have a "trial" pack of Fampyra, and can see how important this shelf life must be for 4-AP.

The commercial product comes in 4 foil sealed plastic bottles of 14 tablets. They could of simply put 1 months supply in a single bottle, but I think they wanted to minimize the time any tablet was exposed to water and / or air.

Then, within each foil sealed bottle, there is a HUGE humidity absorber type device. It is almost as big as the actual 14 tablets in the bottle.

Then, on top of all this, each tablet has a thin film coating which I think is probably there as a final barrier between the environment and the drug. I also read in their application in Australia, that the film had no effect on the delivery of the drug. I wouldn't be surprised if the "matrix" used to deliver the drug in slow release, also helps protect it from the environment.

Now, the compounded 4-AP I was getting, was in a slow release powder, trapped with a bit of air, in a non air/water tight capsule; and who knew what the storage was like at the chemist. Basically, talk to your pharmacy regarding its storage both in your capsules, and in their hands. It clearly is sensitive to the environment.