Marvelon 28 Drug Interactions

Note: The prescribing information of concomitant medications should be consulted to identify potential interactions.
Interactions between oral contraceptives and other medicinal products may lead to breakthrough bleeding and/or oral contraceptive failure. The following interactions have been reported in the literature.
Hepatic metabolism: Interactions can occur with medicinal or herbal products that induce microsomal enzymes, specifically cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP), which can result in increased clearance reducing plasma concentrations of sex hormones and may decrease the effectiveness of combined oral contraceptives, including Desogestrel/Ethinylestradiol (Marvelon 28). These products include phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone, bosentan, carbamazepine, rifampicin, and possibly also oxcarbazepine, topiramate, felbamate, griseofulvin, some HIV protease inhibitors (e.g. ritonavir) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (e.g. efavirenz) and products containing the herbal remedy St. John's wort.
Enzyme induction can occur after a few days of treatment. Maximum enzyme induction is generally observed within a few weeks. After drug therapy is discontinued enzyme induction can last for about 28 days.
When co-administered with hormonal contraceptives, many combinations of HIV protease inhibitors (e.g. nelfinavir) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (e.g. nevirapine), and/or combinations with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) medicinal products (e.g. boceprevir, telaprevir), can increase or decrease plasma concentrations of progestins, including etonogestrel, the active metabolite of desogestrel, or estrogens. The net effect of these changes may be clinically relevant in some cases.
Women receiving any of the previously mentioned hepatic enzyme-inducing medicinal or herbal products should be advised that the efficacy of Desogestrel/Ethinylestradiol (Marvelon 28) may be reduced. A barrier contraceptive method should be used in addition to Desogestrel/Ethinylestradiol (Marvelon 28) during administration of the hepatic enzyme-inducing medicinal product, and for 28 days after discontinuation of the hepatic enzyme-inducing medicinal product.
If concomitant drug administration runs beyond the end of the active tablets in the current COC pack, the next COC pack should be started right away without the usual placebo tablet interval. For women on long-term therapy with enzyme-inducing medicinal products an alternative method of contraception unaffected by enzyme-inducing medicinal products should be considered.
Concomitant administration of strong (e.g. ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin) or moderate (e.g. fluconazole, diltiazem, erythromycin) CYP3A4 inhibitors may increase the serum concentrations of estrogens or progestins, including etonogestrel, the active metabolite of desogestrel.
Oral contraceptives may affect the metabolism of other drugs. Accordingly, plasma and tissue concentrations may either increase (e.g., ciclosporin) or decrease (e.g., lamotrigine).
Laboratory Tests: The use of contraceptive steroids may influence the results of certain laboratory tests, including biochemical parameters of liver, thyroid, adrenal and renal function, plasma levels of (carrier) proteins, e.g. corticosteroid binding globulin and lipid/lipoprotein fractions, parameters of carbohydrate metabolism and parameters of coagulation and fibrinolysis. Changes generally remain within the normal laboratory range.