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CARDIAC MYOSIN INHIBITOR
Camzyos (mavacamten) is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults and children weighing at least 30 kilograms who have symptoms of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). It helps improve symptoms and the ability to be physically active.
Camzyos is a type of medicine called a cardiac myosin inhibitor. It works by reducing how strongly the heart muscle squeezes. In people with obstructive HCM, this helps reduce the blockage of blood flow out of the heart.
Doctors prescribe Camzyos to adults and children weighing at least 30 kilograms who have symptoms of obstructive HCM. It can help improve their symptoms and ability to be active.
Camzyos comes as a capsule taken by mouth once daily. It can be taken with or without food. Swallow the capsule whole. Do not break, open, or chew it.
The recommended starting dose of Camzyos is:
Some people who take certain other medicines may need a lower starting dose.
During treatment, your doctor will adjust your dose based on your symptoms and echocardiogram results. An echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to show how well your heart pumps blood and whether blood flow out of your heart is blocked.
The daily doses used during treatment may include:
The maximum recommended dose is 15 milligrams once daily.
Camzyos can reduce how well your heart pumps blood and may cause heart failure. Your doctor will check your heart function before and during treatment. If your heart’s pumping function, measured as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), falls below 50 percent, your doctor will stop Camzyos treatment temporarily.
Treatment may be restarted when LVEF reaches at least 50 percent. Depending on your previous dose and treatment response, your doctor may restart Camzyos at the same or a lower dose. In some cases, treatment may need to be stopped permanently.
This information is based on the prescribing information, but your healthcare provider may tailor your treatment plan. Always follow their guidance.
In clinical studies of Camzyos, the most common side effects occurred in about 6 percent to 27 percent of people. These include:
Camzyos can cause serious side effects that may require immediate medical attention. These include:
Get medical help right away if you think you are having a serious reaction.
This drug has a boxed warning, the FDA’s strongest safety warning, for some of the serious risks mentioned above. A boxed warning does not mean the drug is unsafe for everyone or that everyone faces the same level of risk.
Bristol Myers Squibb, the manufacturer of Camzyos, offers the MyCAMZYOS Patient Support Program. Eligible people with commercial insurance may pay as little as $10 per 30-day supply. First-time users may also qualify for a one-time, 35-day free trial.
The program provides educational emails during the first three to four months of treatment and access to patient access specialists who can help explain prescription insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs.
To learn more, visit the MyCAMZYOS Patient Support Program website or call 855-226-9967.
Before starting Camzyos, your doctor will use an echocardiogram, a test that uses sound waves to create pictures of your heart, to check how well your heart pumps blood. This test measures your LVEF.
Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to mavacamten or any ingredients in Camzyos.
Tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Taking Camzyos with certain medicines or grapefruit juice may cause heart failure.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you:
Do not take Camzyos with strong CYP2C19 inhibitors, moderate to strong CYP2C19 inducers, or moderate to strong CYP3A4 inducers. These medicines affect how your body breaks down Camzyos. Some can increase the risk of heart failure, while others can make Camzyos less effective.
If you miss a dose of Camzyos, take it as soon as possible that day. Take your next dose at your usual time the following day. Do not take two doses on the same day.
Camzyos may harm a developing baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant. Your doctor will do a pregnancy test before you start taking Camzyos.
If you are able to become pregnant, use effective birth control during treatment and for four months after your last dose. Camzyos may make certain hormonal birth control methods less effective. Talk with your doctor about which birth control methods are right for you.
Birth control containing both ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone may be used with Camzyos. If you use certain other combined hormonal birth control methods, your doctor may recommend adding a nonhormonal method, such as condoms, or using another method that is not affected by Camzyos.
Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant while taking Camzyos. You can also report your pregnancy on the Bristol Myers Squibb website or by calling 800-721-5072.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known whether Camzyos passes into breast milk or how it may affect a breastfed baby. Talk with your doctor about the best way to feed your baby during treatment.
These answers are fact-checked by our editorial staff.
How effective is Camzyos for obstructive HCM?
Camzyos has been shown to improve symptoms, exercise ability, and blood flow out of the heart in adults with symptomatic obstructive HCM.
In a 30-week study of adults with obstructive HCM, 37 percent of people taking Camzyos met the study’s main improvement goal, compared with 17 percent taking a placebo (a treatment with no active medicine). This goal measured improvements in exercise ability and heart failure symptom severity.
Camzyos also helped reduce the blockage of blood flow out of the heart after exercise. Researchers measured this using a pressure difference called the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient. A lower gradient means less blockage. The average gradient decreased by 47 millimeters of mercury in people taking Camzyos, compared with 10 millimeters of mercury in those taking placebo.
People taking Camzyos also reported greater improvements in symptoms and daily activities. On a questionnaire measuring symptoms and physical limitations, their scores improved by 9 points more than those taking placebo.
In a 28-week study of children ages 12 to younger than 18 years who weighed at least 35 kilograms, Camzyos also reduced the blockage of blood flow out of the heart. The average LVOT gradient measured during a breathing test called the Valsalva maneuver decreased by 49.4 millimeters of mercury with Camzyos, compared with 1.8 millimeters of mercury with placebo.
How long does Camzyos take to work for obstructive HCM?
In a clinical study of adults with obstructive HCM, Camzyos began showing measurable effects on blood flow out of the heart by week 4. These improvements continued throughout the 30-week study.
Researchers also found reductions by week 4 in NT-proBNP, a substance in the blood that can rise when the heart is under stress. These reductions continued during treatment.
Camzyos takes several weeks to reach stable levels in the body and produce its treatment effects. However, the time it takes to notice symptom improvement may vary.
Your cardiologist will use regular echocardiograms, which are ultrasound tests of the heart, to check how well your heart is pumping and how blood flows out of it. These tests help your doctor monitor your response and adjust your Camzyos dose safely.
Does Camzyos interact with other medicines?
Yes. Camzyos can interact with certain medicines. Some may increase the risk of heart failure, while others may make the treatment less effective.
Do not take Camzyos with strong CYP2C19 inhibitors, moderate to strong CYP2C19 inducers, or moderate to strong CYP3A4 inducers. These medicines affect how your body breaks down Camzyos and can cause serious problems.
Other medicines, such as omeprazole, esomeprazole, and cimetidine, may also interact with Camzyos and require dose changes or closer monitoring.
Certain medicines used to treat heart conditions, including disopyramide, ranolazine, or combinations of verapamil or diltiazem with beta-blockers, should be avoided because they may increase the risk of heart failure.
Camzyos may also make certain hormonal birth control methods less effective. Talk with your doctor about which birth control methods to use during treatment.
Tell your doctor about all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take. Grapefruit juice may also increase the risk of heart failure when used with Camzyos.
Do not start or stop any medicine or change your dose without talking to your doctor first.
On MyHeartDiseaseTeam, people share their experiences with heart disease, get advice, and find support from others who understand.
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