ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: When I was a kid, we went to the cystic fibrosis pediatric center, and my ma would take care of everything. But now that I’m a little older, I go to the adult center. And even with her and my pa still supporting me, now I’m the one responsible for my care.

Arturo

ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: Hi. My name is Arturo and I live in Houston, Texas. I’m 20 years old. I have my mom, my dad, my sister, and 3 cats…and I also have cystic fibrosis.

I am Mexican American, and because of that, everything at home has always been in Spanish: the music, the soccer, and the soap operas. In fact, I didn’t speak English until I was 4 years old, when I started school.

Today I'm going to answer some questions about my experience with cystic fibrosis and taking TRIKAFTA, and how being Hispanic contributed to my experience.

ISI VOICE-OVER: TRIKAFTA is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients aged 2 years and older who have at least one copy of the F508del mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene or another mutation that is responsive to treatment with TRIKAFTA.

Talk to your doctor to learn if you have an indicated CF gene mutation.

It is not known if TRIKAFTA is safe and effective in children under 2 years of age.

Please see Important Safety Information for TRIKAFTA throughout this video.

As a Hispanic family, what was our experience with cystic fibrosis?

ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: Most of the people helping with my care at the hospital only spoke English, and because of that, sometimes I had to translate for my parents.

I mean, my parents did struggle sometimes to be informed. We were extremely fortunate enough to have a Spanish-speaking doctor who would make sure we understood everything that was going on. 

What was it like for me changing from a pediatric care center to an adult care one?

ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: I did feel a little sad, and afraid too. I didn’t want to leave, because I was comfortable.

Plus, at that time, I was also graduating from high school, so there were 2 very big changes. It was like graduating twice.

But I was able to adapt. Because…that’s life, right?

One of the biggest changes was that my doctor at the adult center does not speak Spanish. I'm lucky that I also speak English, so it's not a big problem for me. And whenever my parents come to my appointments, I’ll translate for them now. So, that's more responsibility for me. But like I said, I'm adapting.

Before we get to more of your questions, let’s listen to this Important Safety Information.

ISI VOICE-OVER: 

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION (ISI)

Before taking TRIKAFTA, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• are allergic to TRIKAFTA or any ingredients in TRIKAFTA. See the Patient Information for a list of ingredients
• have kidney problems
• have or have had liver problems
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRIKAFTA will harm your unborn baby. You and your doctor should decide if you will take TRIKAFTA while you are pregnant
• are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if TRIKAFTA passes into your breast milk. You and your doctor should decide if you will take TRIKAFTA while you are breastfeeding

Please stay tuned for additional Important Safety Information at the end of this video.

What is my daily TRIKAFTA routine?

ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: When I wake up in the morning, it’s almost the first thing I do. I take my 2 orange pills with a fat-containing food. For breakfast, I like my ma’s pancakes, and I make sure I put butter on them since that has fat in it, so that's good.

Your dose or your loved one's dose may be different than the dose that is shown in this video.

Remember to take TRIKAFTA exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Always take your TRIKAFTA with a fat-containing food. This helps the body absorb TRIKAFTA better.

Visit TRIKAFTA.com to learn about what to do if a dose is missed.

ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: Then I just go about my day: I go to school, or I help my pa with work. I also love watching soccer, spending time with my family, and preparing some nice barbecues.

Then, at dinnertime, 12 hours later, I take the blue pill also with a fat-containing food. And since the doctor told us that TRIKAFTA can be taken with some cheese, it’s easy for me because a lot of the things I like have cheese, like my ma’s enchiladas and flautas, and all that.

What would I say to other Hispanic people my age who have cystic fibrosis?

ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: Well, I would tell them not to get exasperated, to have patience, that they are in good hands. 

I think we are strong because it’s double or triple of everyone else’s effort. Not only in sports, it’s just that you get tired. When you have to go to an appointment, you have to miss school or work. Since I can remember, I had to miss school on Fridays. Some teachers would help me to get up to date, but some wouldn’t. It was on me to put in all the effort, but at the end I did accomplish it and I felt good.

What has taking TRIKAFTA meant to me?

ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: I have been taking TRIKAFTA for 3 years and it has turned into such a big part of my life. 

TRIKAFTA treats the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis, and that's very important to me.

There are so many things I want to do and I’m excited for my future.

TRIKAFTA is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients aged 2 years and older who have at least one copy of the F508del mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene or another mutation that is responsive to treatment with TRIKAFTA.

Talk to your doctor to learn if you have an indicated CF gene mutation.

It is not known if TRIKAFTA is safe and effective in children under 2 years of age.

ARTURO’S VOICE-OVER: Thanks for listening to my story. I hope I answered some of your questions and helped you get to know me a little better.

Your experience with TRIKAFTA may not be the same as Arturo’s. Always speak to your healthcare providers regarding treatment plans and services in other languages available at your medical care center.

ISI VOICE-OVER: 

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION                     

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

TRIKAFTA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how TRIKAFTA works. The dose of TRIKAFTA may need to be adjusted when taken with certain medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a list of these medicines if you are not sure. 

Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• antibiotics such as rifampin (RIFAMATE^®, RIFATER^®) or rifabutin (MYCOBUTIN^®)
• seizure medicines such as phenobarbital, carbamazepine (TEGRETOL^®, CARBATROL^®, EQUETRO^®), or phenytoin (DILANTIN^®, PHENYTEK^®)
• St. John’s wort
• antifungal medicines including ketoconazole, itraconazole (such as SPORANOX^®), posaconazole (such as NOXAFIL^®), voriconazole (such as VFEND^®), or fluconazole (such as DIFLUCAN^®)
• antibiotics including telithromycin, clarithromycin (such as BIAXIN^®), or erythromycin (such as ERY-TAB^®)

What should I avoid while taking TRIKAFTA?

• Avoid food or drink that contains grapefruit while you are taking TRIKAFTA

What are the possible side effects of TRIKAFTA?

TRIKAFTA can cause serious side effects, including:

• Liver damage and worsening of liver function in people with severe liver disease that can be serious and may require transplantation. Liver damage has also happened in people without liver disease
• High liver enzymes in the blood, which is a common side effect in people treated with TRIKAFTA. These can be serious and may be a sign of liver injury. Your doctor will do blood tests to check your liver:

• before you start TRIKAFTA
• every 3 months during your first year of taking TRIKAFTA
• every year while you are taking TRIKAFTA

Your doctor may do blood tests to check the liver more often if you have had high liver enzymes in your blood in the past.

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms of liver problems:

• pain or discomfort in the upper right stomach (abdominal) area
• yellowing of your skin or the white part of your eyes
• loss of appetite
• nausea or vomiting
• dark, amber-colored urine

• Serious allergic reactions have happened to people who are treated with TRIKAFTA. Call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room right away if you have any symptoms of an allergic reaction. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

• rash or hives
• tightness of the chest or throat or difficulty breathing
• swelling of the face, lips, and/or tongue, or difficulty swallowing
• light-headedness or dizziness

• Abnormality of the eye lens (cataract), which has happened in some children and adolescents treated with TRIKAFTA. If you are a child or adolescent, your doctor should perform eye examinations before and during treatment with TRIKAFTA to look for cataracts

The most common side effects of TRIKAFTA include:

• headache
• upper respiratory tract infection (common cold) including stuffy and runny nose
• stomach (abdominal) pain
• diarrhea
• rash
• increase in liver enzymes
• increase in a certain blood enzyme called creatine phosphokinase
• flu (influenza)
• inflamed sinuses
• increase in blood bilirubin

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of TRIKAFTA. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

To learn more about TRIKAFTA and if it could be right for you, please talk to your healthcare provider and visit TRIKAFTA.com.

Please see the links for Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information:

TRIKAFTA.com/PrescribingInfo

TRIKAFTA.com/PatientInformation

Please see Prescribing Information, including Patient Information, in English, and Prescribing Information, including Patient Information, in Spanish.

This video is brought to you by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

Arturo received compensation from Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated for his participation in this video.

TRIKAFTA is manufactured for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

TRIKAFTA, the TRIKAFTA logo, Vertex, and the Vertex triangle logo are registered trademarks of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated.

All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

© 2024 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | VXR-US-28-2400001 (v1.0) | 01/2024