FYI - Tecfidera is a "delayed-release" capsule
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:03 am
Of course, I'm not quite sure what this means for those trying to time meals & meds with their Tecfidera to avoid side effects, but I noticed it while researching and comparing all the MS meds. Tec is the only one of the oral meds that comes in a "delayed release" form. I had been wondering why so many report their most severe side effects hit 2 hours after, or "several hours" after taking the med and this may explain it somewhat.
The only place I could find a generic explanation of "delayed release" quickly was on wikipedia, where they noted that it could mean the capsule doesn't dissolve until it reaches the intestines. Or not. And another article on "time release technology" explains various ways that meds dissolve slowly into the system over time, and over hours. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_release_technology
But how much time for Tecfidera? When/where does it dissolve and release its "active ingredient" into the system? How much would that affect the meals/meds schedule?
The Tecfidera Prescribing Information goes into great detail about its description, chemical structure & additional (inactive) ingredients (about 18 of them!), Mechanism of Action (as usual, no one knows what that is), and Pharmacodynamics -- no help. But the Pharmacokinetics section gives extensive detail about its metabolism if anyone wants to tackle that and explain it to us.
Just wondering...
(Edited to add a link to the Full Prescribing Information: http://www.tecfidera.com/pdfs/full-pres ... mation.pdf )
The only place I could find a generic explanation of "delayed release" quickly was on wikipedia, where they noted that it could mean the capsule doesn't dissolve until it reaches the intestines. Or not. And another article on "time release technology" explains various ways that meds dissolve slowly into the system over time, and over hours. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_release_technology
But how much time for Tecfidera? When/where does it dissolve and release its "active ingredient" into the system? How much would that affect the meals/meds schedule?
The Tecfidera Prescribing Information goes into great detail about its description, chemical structure & additional (inactive) ingredients (about 18 of them!), Mechanism of Action (as usual, no one knows what that is), and Pharmacodynamics -- no help. But the Pharmacokinetics section gives extensive detail about its metabolism if anyone wants to tackle that and explain it to us.
Just wondering...
(Edited to add a link to the Full Prescribing Information: http://www.tecfidera.com/pdfs/full-pres ... mation.pdf )