Lifyorli (relacorilant) is a medicine used with chemotherapy to treat certain types of cancer. It works by affecting your immune system. While Lifyorli can be an effective treatment, it is important to know that it can interact with other medicines and substances.
An interaction occurs when one substance changes how a medication affects the body. Understanding these interactions can help lower the risk of side effects, ensure your medicines work as intended, and avoid unsafe combinations.
This article does not include all possible Lifyorli interactions. Always tell your health care provider and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and any vitamins, herbs, or other supplements you use.
Understanding Lifyorli Interactions
After you take Lifyorli, your body processes it using certain enzymes. Some medicines can affect how these enzymes work. This can change the amount of Lifyorli in your body. Lifyorli can also change how some of these enzymes work. This can affect the blood levels of some other medicines in your body.
Lifyorli can also compete with other medicines that act on the same targets in your body. This can affect how well Lifyorli and these medicines work.
Below are more details about some Lifyorli interactions.
1. Corticosteroids
Lifyorli can interact with corticosteroids in a way that could make both Lifyorli and corticosteroids less effective. A corticosteroid is a medicine used for certain inflammatory conditions.
Examples include:
Lifyorli temporarily blocks certain proteins in your body called glucocorticoid receptors. Corticosteroids also work by interacting with glucocorticoid receptors. Since both Lifyorli and corticosteroids act on the same receptors, they can make each other less effective.
If you use a corticosteroid with Lifyorli, your health care provider may need to monitor you more closely. If you need ongoing corticosteroids to treat certain health conditions, your health care provider may suggest a different treatment instead of Lifyorli. Lifyorli should not be used if you are taking oral or injected corticosteroids for a serious, life-saving reason, such as after an organ transplant.
2. Some seizure medicines
Certain seizure medicines can interact with Lifyorli in a way that could make Lifyorli less effective.
Examples include:
- Carbamazepine
- Phenobarbital
- Phenytoin
- Primidone
These medicines increase the activity of an enzyme in your body called CYP3A4. This enzyme helps break down Lifyorli. When CYP3A4 becomes more active, your body breaks down Lifyorli faster than usual. So, Lifyorli levels may be lower than expected, which can reduce how well it works.
Some medicines should not be taken with Lifyorli because they can significantly reduce its effectiveness. Other medicines have a smaller effect on the enzymes. In this case, your health care provider may monitor your response more closely and adjust your Lifyorli dose if needed. Do not change your dose on your own.
3. Certain medicines for infections
Some medicines used for bacterial, fungal, or viral infections may interact with Lifyorli.
Examples include:
- Clarithromycin
- Itraconazole
- Ketoconazole
- Ritonavir
These medicines block a certain enzyme in the body called CYP3A4. When this enzyme is blocked, the body may break down Lifyorli more slowly. As a result, Lifyorli may build up in the body and increase the risk of side effects.
If you must take certain antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals while taking Lifyorli, your health care provider may lower your Lifyorli dose and monitor you more closely for side effects.
4. Some cholesterol medicines
Some cholesterol medicines can interact with Lifyorli. Examples include statins, such as lovastatin and simvastatin.
Lifyorli blocks a certain enzyme in the body called CYP3A4. Similar to certain medicines for infections (mentioned above), these medicines may build up in the body and increase the risk of side effects.
If you take either of these medicines and Lifyorli, your health care provider may adjust the dose of your cholesterol medicine or change you to a different cholesterol medicine.
5. Pioglitazone
Pioglitazone is a medicine used to lower blood sugar levels.
Taking both Lifyorli and pioglitazone can increase the amount of pioglitazone in your body. This may increase your risk of side effects from pioglitazone, such as low blood sugar (especially if you skip meals) or fluid retention.
If you take pioglitazone and Lifyorli, your health care provider may adjust your dose of pioglitazone. Your health care provider may also suggest checking your blood sugar at home more often.
Watch for symptoms of low blood sugar, such as shakiness, sweating, confusion, or dizziness. Keep a source of fast-acting sugar on hand in case of low blood sugar, such as glucose tablets or fruit juice.
Lifyorli and Alcohol
It is not known if Lifyorli interacts with alcohol. However, drinking large amounts of alcohol can slow down your immune response and make it harder for your body to fight cancer. If you drink alcohol, talk to your health care provider about whether you should continue to do so while taking Lifyorli.
Other Interactions With Lifyorli
Supplement Interactions
The drugmaker of Lifyorli does not list specific supplement interactions in the medicine’s labeling. But your health care provider may still advise you to avoid St. John’s wort while taking Lifyorli. It is an herb sometimes used for depression. The combination may make Lifyorli less effective.
St. John’s wort can increase the activity of an enzyme called CYP3A4. This may result in a faster breakdown of Lifyorli in your body, lowering the amount of medicine in your blood.
Other herbs and dietary supplements may cause interactions. Tell your health care team about all supplements you take.
Food Interactions
You should take Lifyorli with food.
The drugmaker of Lifyorli does not mention grapefruit or grapefruit juice as an interaction on the medicine’s labeling. Still, your health care provider may recommend limiting or avoiding grapefruit and grapefruit juice while taking Lifyorli.
Grapefruit juice can block an enzyme called CYP3A4 in the intestines, which may cause higher levels of some medicines to build up in your body, increasing the risk of side effects.
How to Avoid Lifyorli Interactions
You can lower your risk of drug interactions by:
- Taking Lifyorli exactly as prescribed
- Keeping an updated medication list and sharing it with your health care team before starting any new medicine or supplement
- Properly disposing of unused or expired medicines to prevent accidental use or interactions
Your health care provider and pharmacist can help identify possible interactions and make sure your treatment plan is safe for you.
FAQs About Lifyorli Interactions
Can I have caffeine with Lifyorli?
There are no known interactions between Lifyorli and caffeine, which is commonly found in coffee and energy drinks.
However, coffee or energy drinks may cause or worsen nausea or diarrhea in some people. You may want to limit or avoid these if you are having stomach-related side effects of Lifyorli, such as nausea or diarrhea.
Can I take ibuprofen with Lifyorli?
There are no known interactions between Lifyorli and ibuprofen.
However, ibuprofen and Lifyorli can both lead to similar side effects such as anemia, nausea, and diarrhea. Taking them together might increase your risk of these side effects. If you take ibuprofen regularly or have these side effects with either Lifyorli or ibuprofen, talk to your health care provider about how to handle this.
