Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Auro-Atovaquone
What Auro-Atovaquone is used for:
- Auro-Atovaquone is used to treat Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP).
- You can get PCP when your lungs are infected with a fungus called Pneumocystis jirovecii.
How Auro-Atovaquone works:
This medicine prevents the fungus responsible for PCP from growing.
The ingredients in Auro-Atovaquone are:
Medicinal ingredient(s): Atovaquone
Non-medicinal ingredients: Benzyl alcohol, poloxamer, purified water, saccharin sodium, tutti frutti flavor (which contains maltodextrin, artificial flavours, propylene glycol, alpha tocopherol), and xanthan gum
Auro-Atovaquone comes in the following dosage form(s):
Auro-Atovaquone is a bright yellow liquid. It tastes sweet and fruity. Each bottle contains 210 mL of Auro-Atovaquone (750 mg/5 mL) and has a cap that children cannot open.
Do not use Auro-Atovaquone if:
- You are allergic to atovaquone or to any of the ingredients in Auro-Atovaquone (Read also “The ingredients in Auro-Atovaquone are” above)
To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take Auro-Atovaquone. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:
Protected B / Protégé B
- Currently have diarrhea
- Have kidney problems
Are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant
- Are breastfeeding or are planning to breastfeed
- Are over 65 years of age
- Have had severe skin reactions with Auro-Atovaquone
Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.
The following may interact with Auro-Atovaquone:
- tetracycline, rifampicin, rifabutin, and cephalosporins, drugs used to treat bacterial infections
- metoclopramide, a drug used to treat symptoms of slowed stomach emptying
- acetaminophen, a drug used to relieve pain and reduce fever (also included in cold and flu remedies)
- benzodiazepines and opiates (like codeine), drugs used to treat anxiety and pain
- acyclovir, a drug used to treat herpes
- medicines used to treat diarrhea
- laxatives
- zidovudine and indinavir, drugs used to treat HIV infection/AIDS
How to take Auro-Atovaquone:
It is important to drink Auro-Atovaquone with a meal. This will help the medicine to work properly. Drink it with your morning meal and your evening meal. If you can eat only one meal a day, take your whole daily dose with your daily meal. Before you pour each dose, shake the bottle gently.
Usual dose:
Drink 5 mL (one teaspoonful) of Auro-Atovaquone twice each day, with your meals. Take this medicine for 21 days (i.e. one 5 mL spoonful of medicine in the morning and evening with food).
If you can eat only one meal a day, drink 10 mL (two teaspoonfuls) of Auro-Atovaquone once each day with your meal. Take this medicine for 21 days.
Overdose:
| If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much Auro-Atovaquone, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, regional poison control centre or Health Canada’s toll- free number, 1-844 POISON-X (1-844-764-7669) immediately, even if there are no signs or symptoms. |
|---|
Missed dose:
If you missed a dose of Auro-Atovaquone, take it as soon as you remember (with a meal) and then take
Protected B / Protégé B
the next dose at the right time (again with a meal). Do not take more than 10 mL (two teaspoonfuls) a day in total.
Possible side effects from using Auro-Atovaquone:
These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking Auro-Atovaquone. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.
Side effects may include:
- headache, fever
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation
- trouble sleeping, dizziness, feeling weak and achy
- sweating, rash, itching, hives
- thrush (yeast infection in the mouth)
- eye problems
- kidney problems
Side effects that may show up in a blood test:
- low levels of sodium in the blood (hyponatremia)
- changes in liver enzymes
- low numbers of red blood cells (anemia), which can cause tiredness, headaches and
- shortness of breath
- low numbers of white blood cells (neutropenia)
- high levels of amylase (an enzyme produced in the pancreas)
- high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia)
- high levels of methemoglobin (a protein in the blood)
- low numbers of platelets in the blood
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Frequency/Side Effect/Symptom | Talk to your healthcare professional | Stop taking this drug and get immediate medical help | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||
| Common | |||
| Hypersensitivity (allergic) reaction: hives, swelling, difficulty in breathing, throat tightness | ✓ | ||
| Very Rare | |||
Severe Skin Reactions: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS): flu-like symptoms with a rash, fever, swollen glands, and abnormal blood test results. | ✓ | ||
| Unknown | |||
| Serious skin reactions: | |||
Protected B / Protégé B
| ✓ | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas): sudden pain in the upper area of the abdomen (belly), nausea/vomiting, fever, sweating, yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes | ✓ | ||
| Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver): yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, dark or tea- coloured urine, pale-coloured stools (bowel movements), nausea/ vomiting, loss of appetite, pain, aching or tenderness on right side below the ribs | ✓ | ||
If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.
Reporting side effects
You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:
NOTE: Contact your healthcare professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice. |
|---|
Storage:
Store this medicine at room temperature, between 15°C and 25°C and kept in tight, light-resistant containers. Do NOT freeze it.
Keep out of reach and sight of children.
If you want more information about Auro-Atovaquone:
- Talk to your healthcare professional
Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes the Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada Drug Product Database website
Protected B / Protégé B
- (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html%20%20); the manufacturer’s website http://www.auropharma.ca; or by calling 1-855-648-6681.
Date of Authorization: 2026-10-02