The Coating Is a Difference

Are myfortic and CellCept different medications?
Both myfortic and CellCept deliver the same, highly effective immunosuppressive drug. Its scientific name is mycophenolic acid but it's easier to remember (and pronounce) as MPA. The difference between myfortic and CellCept is that every myfortic tablet has an enteric coating that is unique among transplant medications.

What is enteric coating?
Enteric coating is an outer layer applied to a tablet or pill. That outer layer protects the tablet or pill from being dissolved in the stomach. Enteric coatings are specifically designed to delay the release of the active ingredient in the medication until it reaches the right time and place in the body to do its work.

Why is myfortic enteric-coated?
myfortic is an enteric-coated formulation of mycophenolic acid (MPA) in a delayed-release tablet. That means the special coating on the tablet keeps it from dissolving in your stomach right after you take it. The active ingredient, MPA, is not released until it leaves your stomach and reaches your small intestine. It's important to protect the enteric coating of myfortic. Just swallow the whole tablet. Do not crush, chew, or cut myfortic tablets.

Are there any other differences between myfortic and CellCept?
Yes, you can always tell them apart by their size. myfortic 360 mg tablets are visibly smaller than 500 mg CellCept tablets (21% smaller in width, 10% smaller in volume). Plus, the pale orange-red color of the 360 mg myfortic tablet may help you avoid confusing your medications. myfortic 180 mg are lime green and are visibly smaller than CellCept 250 mg capsules, which are a blue-brown color.

Click here for complete prescribing information, which includes contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse events.

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