What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Cyclosporine and nelfinavir
Cyclosporine's FDA label of August 10, 2026 names nelfinavir in its drug interactions section, and nelfinavir's label names cyclosporine too. The nelfinavir label: “Concentrations of these immunosuppressants and nelfinavir may be increased by coadministration of these agents with nelfinavir.”
Check it at the source: the cyclosporine FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 10, 2026, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation); the nelfinavir FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 11, 2025, AGOURON).
What does the cyclosporine label say about nelfinavir?
Cyclosporine label, drug interactionsDrugs That Increase Cyclosporine Concentrations Calcium Channel Blockers Antifungals Antibiotics Glucocorticoids Other Drugs diltiazem fluconazole azithromycin methylprednisolone Allopurinol nicardipine itraconazole clarithromycin Amiodarone verapamil ketoconazole erythromycin Bromocriptine voriconazole quinupristin/ dalfopristin colchicine danazol imatinib metoclopramide nefazodone oral contraceptives HIV Protease Inhibitors The HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, and saquinavir) are known to inhibit cytochrome P-450 3A and thus could potentially increase the concentrations of cyclosporine, however no formal studies of the interaction are available.
Source: FDA drug label (Neoral), Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, effective August 10, 2026 (SPL set 94461af3-11f1-4670-95d4-2965b9538ae3), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the nelfinavir label say about cyclosporine?
Nelfinavir label, drug interactionsConcomitant Drug Class/Drug Name: Cyclosporine Tacrolimus Sirolimus; Effect on Concentration: ↑ immuno-suppressants ↑ nelfinavir; Clinical Comment: Concentrations of these immunosuppressants and nelfinavir may be increased by coadministration of these agents with nelfinavir.
Source: FDA drug label (VIRACEPT), AGOURON, effective December 11, 2025 (SPL set e72c2bc6-9462-4a2e-8e1d-b97592376cbd), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Cyclosporine | Nelfinavir | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Organ transplant rejection, Rheumatoid arthritis | HIV |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $1.04 per unit 0.05% eye emulsion | n/a |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once