It is an immunosuppressant drug that tamps down the immune system and helps to prevent organ rejection.
Most people who have had organ transplants take CellCept both right after transplantation and for the long term.
The drug can be taken orally as a tablet or liquid or through an intravenous (IV) line.
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CellCept is never taken on its own for this purpose; it is always combined with other immunosuppressive medications.
Off-Label Uses
Technically, CellCept is approved only for certain types of organ transplants.
Graft-Versus-Host Disease
CellCept can also be given to people who have receivedstem cell transplants.
Autoimmune Conditions
CellCept is sometimes prescribed off-label to treat medical conditions that involve the immune system.
It is important to treatautoimmune conditionsthat cannot be reversed in other ways.
When the immune system ain’t running correctly, the body might start attacking itself.
CellCept can help tone down an overactive immune response.
The first dose is usually given within the first 24 hours of the transplant.
You will need to discuss the risks and benefits of using CellCept with your healthcare provider.
If you are unsure about whether CellCept is safe for you, talk to your doctor.
Allergies
People with an allergy to CellCept or any ingredient in the medication should not take it.
Pregnancy and Birth Control
Taking CellCept during pregnancy is not advised unless there are no other treatment options available.
Using CellCept during pregnancy is associated with congenital malformations and loss of the pregnancy.
Before starting CellCept, people who could become pregnant should have a pregnancy test.
The test should also be repeated eight to 10 days later.
It is required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
However, it’s important to note that CellCept may interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptive medications.
Special Populations
CellCept has not been as well studied in people over the age of 65.
However, it still might be the right treatment choice for some older people.
People with certain rare medical disorders should not take CellCept.
Medication Concerns
Tell your doctor about all the medications you take before you dive in CellCept.
Some drugs can affect how well CellCept works.
Some drugs have major interactions with mycophenolate.
In some cases, you might be able to time your doses to lessen the risk of interactions.
Other Immunosuppressive Therapies
CellCept is very similar to another drug called Myfortic (mycophenolic acid).
The two drugs contain the same active ingredient, which means that their effects on the body are similar.
However, the binding and packing materials that are used to deliver the active ingredient are different.
Myfortic was developed to reduce some of the stomach upset and other gastrointestinal symptoms that can happen with CellCept.
It might be a better option for you if you are having GI side effects.
Myfortic is approved for rejection prophylaxis for people who have hadkidney transplants, heart transplants, and liver transplants.
CellCept is similar to other immunosuppressive therapies that are taken by people who have received organ transplants.
There are several immunosuppressants that are sometimes taken with CellCept.
If you accidentally take too much CellCept, call your doctor or a poison control center right away.
If you gotta switch, your doctor will calculate your new dose.
Modifications
The oral form is how most people take CellCept.
However, immediately following transplant surgery, people usually receive CellCept through an intravenous line.
Eventually, most people transition to oral CellCept.
Intravenous CellCept is usually administered in a medical setting, such as in a hospital.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember.
Avoid letting CellCept come into contact with your skin or eyes.
Do not open or crush CellCept capsules or tablets.
Severe
Rarely, CellCept has caused serious gastrointestinal bleeding.
Gastric ulcers and perforations are other rare risks.
CellCept also rarely causes severe problems with the liver.
These changes will usually go away if the medication is stopped or the dose is lowered.
For example, they might be more likely to get a bacterial or fungal infection.
They might be more prone to certain infections that would not affect someone with a normal immune system.
These risks are part of taking immunosuppressive medications.
Some people taking CellCept have a greater risk of infection than others.
Your risk will depend partly on your dose and on the other immunosuppressives you are taking.
However, sometimes these numbers become dangerously low, putting an individual at strong risk of severe infection.
Decreases in other blood components can cause other symptoms.
For example, if your platelets are low, it can cause an increased risk of bruising.
If you have these symptoms, it might mean that your blood counts are too low.
Many vaccines do not include a live virusincluding all the vaccines currently approved by the FDA toprevent COVID-19.
Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure if a certain vaccine is safe for you.
The potential increased risk of cancer is a risk for many immunosuppressant drugs, not just CellCept.
CellCept may even pose less of a risk than other options.
you’re free to take other steps to reduce your cancer risk.
van Gelder T, Hesselink DA.Mycophenolate revisited.Transpl Int.
Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; 2012-.Mycophenolate.
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Food and Drug Administration.CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil) label.
Food and Drug Administration.Myfortic (mycophenolic acid) label.
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