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CHOLBAM

Generic: Cholic Acid

Verified·Apr 23, 2026
Manufacturer
Mirum
NDC
45043-001
RxCUI
1440861
Route
ORAL
ICD-10 indication
E71.39

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About CHOLBAM

What is this medication? Cholbam is a prescription bile acid replacement therapy used to treat pediatric and adult patients with bile acid synthesis disorders due to single enzyme defects. These rare genetic conditions prevent the body from creating sufficient amounts of primary bile acids, which are necessary for the normal absorption of dietary fats and fat-soluble vitamins. By providing cholic acid, the medication helps support healthy liver function and prevents the buildup of toxic intermediate bile acids that can cause significant liver damage or failure over time.

The medication is also approved as an adjunctive treatment for patients with peroxisomal disorders, such as Zellweger spectrum disorders, who exhibit symptoms of liver disease or complications related to fat absorption. Cholbam works by supplementing the missing natural bile acids, thereby improving the absorption of essential nutrients and reducing the metabolic stress on the liver. It is important for patients to undergo regular liver function monitoring while taking this medication to ensure its effectiveness and safety.

Copay & patient assistance

  • Patient Copay Amount: As little as $0 per fill
  • Maximum Annual Benefit Limit: Not Publicly Available
  • Core Eligibility Restrictions: Patients must have commercial insurance and an approved prescription for CHOLBAM; subject to program terms and conditions. (Note: A separate Patient Assistance Program is available for uninsured patients or those whose coverage is denied).
  • RxBIN, PCN, and Group numbers: Not Publicly Available

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Prescribing information

From the FDA-approved label for CHOLBAM. Official source: DailyMed (NLM) · Label effective Dec 12, 2025

Indications and usage
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE CHOLBAM is a bile acid indicated for: Treatment of bile acid synthesis disorders due to single enzyme defects (SEDs). ( 1.1 ) Adjunctive treatment of peroxisomal disorders (PDs) including Zellweger spectrum disorders in patients who exhibit manifestations of liver disease, steatorrhea or complications from decreased fat-soluble vitamin absorption. ( 1.2 ) Limitations of use: The safety and effectiveness of CHOLBAM on extrahepatic manifestations of bile acid synthesis disorders due to SEDs or PDs including Zellweger spectrum disorders have not been established. ( 1.3 ). 1.1 Bile Acid Synthesis Disorders due to Single Enzyme Defects CHOLBAM is indicated for the treatment of bile acid synthesis disorders due to single enzyme defects (SEDs) 1.2 Peroxisomal Disorders Including Zellweger Spectrum Disorders CHOLBAM is indicated for adjunctive treatment of peroxisomal disorders (PDs) including Zellweger spectrum disorders in patients who exhibit manifestations of liver disease, steatorrhea or complications from decreased fat-soluble vitamin absorption. 1.3 Limitation of Use The safety and effectiveness of CHOLBAM on extrahepatic manifestations of bile acid synthesis disorders due to SEDs or PDs including Zellweger spectrum disorders have not been established.
Dosage and administration
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The recommended dosage is 10 to 15 mg/kg once daily or in two divided doses, in pediatric patients and adults. See prescribing information for weight-based dosing tables. ( 2.1 ) The recommended dosage in patients with concomitant familial hypertriglyceridemia is 11 to 17 mg/kg once daily or in two divided doses and is adjusted based on clinical response ( 2.1 ) Monitor AST, ALT, GGT, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and INR every month for the first 3 months, every 3 months for the next 9 months, every 6 months during the next three years and annually thereafter. Administer the lowest dose that effectively maintains liver function. ( 2.2 ) Discontinue CHOLBAM if liver function does not improve within 3 months of starting treatment, if complete biliary obstruction develops, or if there are persistent clinical or laboratory indicators of worsening liver function or cholestasis; continue to monitor liver function and consider restarting at a lower dose when parameters return to baseline. ( 2.2 , 5.1 ) Administration Instructions: Take with food. ( 2.3 ) Do not crush or chew the capsules. For patients unable to swallow the capsules, the capsules can be opened and the contents mixed with drink/food ( 2.3 ) 2.1 Dosage Regimen for Bile Acid Synthesis Disorders Due to SEDs and PDs Including Zellweger Spectrum Disorders The recommended dosage of CHOLBAM is 10 to 15 mg/kg administered orally once daily, or in two divided doses, in pediatric patients and in adults. Tables 1 and 2 show the number of capsules that should be administered daily to approximate a dosage of 10 mg/kg/day and 15 mg/kg/day, respectively, using the available 50 mg and 250 mg capsules alone or in combination. Table 1: Number of CHOLBAM Capsules Needed to Achieve a Recommended Dosage of 10 mg/kg/day 10 mg/kg/day Dosage Body Weight (kg) Number of 50 mg capsules Number of 250 mg capsules 4 to 6 1 0 7 to 10 2 0 11 to 15 3 0 16 to 20 4 0 21 to 25 0 1 26 to 30 1 1 31 to 35 2 1 36 to 40 3 1 41 to 45 4 1 46 to 50 0 2 51 to 55 1 2 56 to 60 2 2 61 to 65 3 2 66 to 70 4 2 71 to 75 0 3 76 to 80 1 3 Table 2: Number of CHOLBAM Capsules Needed to Achieve a Recommended Dosage of 15 mg/kg/day 15 mg/kg/day Dosage Body Weight (kg) Number of 50 mg capsules Number of 250 mg capsules 4 to 5 1 0 6 to 9 2 0 10 to 13 3 0 14 to 16 4 0 17 to 19 0 1 20 to 23 1 1 24 to 26 2 1 27 to 29 3 1 30 to 33 4 1 34 to 36 0 2 37 to 39 1 2 40 to 43 2 2 44 to 46 3 2 47 to 49 4 2 50 to 53 0 3 54 to 56 1 3 57 to 59 2 3 60 to 63 3 3 64 to 66 4 3 67 to 69 0 4 70 to 73 1 4 74 to 76 2 4 77 to 79 3 4 80 4 4 Patients with newly diagnosed, or a family history of, familial hypertriglyceridemia may have poor absorption of CHOLBAM from the intestine and require a 10% increase in the recommended dosage to account for losses due to malabsorption. The recommended dosage of CHOLBAM in patients with concomitant familial hypertriglyceridemia is 11 to 17 mg/kg orally once daily, or in two divided doses. Adequacy of the dosage regimen can be determined by monitoring the patient’s clinical response including steatorrhea and laboratory values of serum transaminases, bilirubin, and prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR). 2.2 Treatment Monitoring Treatment with CHOLBAM should be initiated and monitored by an experienced hepatologist or pediatric gastroenterologist. Monitor serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, and INR every month for the first 3 months, every 3 months for the next 9 months, every 6 months during the subsequent three years, and annually thereafter. Monitor more frequently during periods of rapid growth, concomitant disease, and pregnancy. Administer the lowest dose of CHOLBAM that effectively maintains liver function [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Discontinue treatment with CHOLBAM if liver function does not improve within 3 months of the start of treatment or if complete biliary obstruction develops. Discontinue treatment with CHOLBAM at any time if there are persistent clinical or laboratory indicators of worsening liver function or cholestasis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Concurrent elevations of serum GGT and serum ALT may indicate CHOLBAM overdose [ see Overdosage (10) ]. Continue to monitor laboratory parameters of liver function and consider restarting at a lower dose when the parameters return to baseline. Assessment of serum or urinary bile acid levels using mass spectrometry is used in the diagnosis of bile acid synthesis disorders due to SEDs and PDs including Zellweger spectrum disorders. The utility of bile acid measurements in monitoring the clinical course of patients and in decisions regarding dose adjustment has not been demonstrated. 2.3 Administration Instructions Take CHOLBAM with food. Take CHOLBAM at least 1 hour before or 4 to 6 hours (or at as great an interval as possible) after a bile acid binding resin or aluminum-based antacid. Do not crush or chew the capsules. For patients unable to swallow the capsules, open the capsules and mix the contents with infant formula or expressed breast milk (for younger children), or soft food such as mashed potatoes or apple puree (for older children and adults) in order to mask any unpleasant taste: Hold the capsule over the prepared liquid/food, gently twist open, and allow the contents to fall into the liquid/food. Mix the entire capsule contents with one or two tablespoons (15 mL to 30 mL) of infant formula, expressed breast milk, or soft food such as mashed potatoes or apple puree. Stir for 30 seconds. The capsule contents will remain as fine granules in the milk or food and will not dissolve. Administer the mixture immediately
Contraindications
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS None. None ( 4 )
Warnings and precautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Exacerbation of Liver Impairment: Monitor liver function. Discontinue CHOLBAM if liver function worsens while on treatment. ( 5.1 ) 5.1 Exacerbation of Liver Impairment In clinical trials, evidence of liver impairment was present before treatment with CHOLBAM in approximately 86% (44/51) of patients with bile acid synthesis disorders due to SEDs and in approximately 50% (14/28) of patients with PDs including Zellweger spectrum disorders. Five of the patients (3SED and 2 PD) with liver impairment at baseline experienced worsening serum transaminases, elevated bilirubin values, or worsening cholestasis on liver biopsy following treatment. Five additional patients (2 SED and 3 PD) who did not have baseline cholestasis experienced exacerbation of their liver disease while on treatment. In patients with cirrhosis, cases of severe hepatotoxicity have also been observed following postmarket use of Cholbam Exacerbation of liver impairment by CHOLBAM in these patients cannot be ruled out. Six patients with SEDs underwent liver transplant, including four patients diagnosed with AKR1D1 deficiency, one with 3β-HSD deficiency, and one with CYP7A1 deficiency. Concurrent elevations of serum GGT and ALT may indicate CHOLBAM overdose [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) and Overdosage (10) ] . Monitor liver function and discontinue CHOLBAM in patients who develop worsening of liver function while on treatment. Discontinue treatment with CHOLBAM at any time if there are clinical or laboratory indicators of worsening liver function or cholestasis [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) ] .
Drug interactions
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Bile Salt Efflux Pump (BSEP) Inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine) : Avoid concomitant use; if concomitant use is necessary, monitor serum transaminases and bilirubin ( 7.1 ) Bile Acid Resins and Aluminum-Based Antacids: Take CHOLBAM at least 1 hour before or 4 to 6 hours (or at as great an interval as possible) after a bile acid binding resin or aluminum-based antacids. ( 2.3 , 7.1 ) 7.1 Effects of other drugs on CHOLBAM Drug interactions with CHOLBAM mainly relate to agents capable of interrupting the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. Inhibitors of Bile Acid Transporters Avoid concomitant use of inhibitors of the bile salt efflux pump (BSEP) such as cyclosporine. Concomitant medications that inhibit canalicular membrane bile acid transporters such as the BSEP may exacerbate accumulation of conjugated bile salts in the liver and result in clinical symptoms. If concomitant use is deemed necessary, monitoring of serum transaminases and bilirubin is recommended. Bile Acid Binding Resins Bile acid binding resins such as cholestyramine, colestipol, or colesevelam adsorb and reduce bile acid absorption and may reduce the efficacy of CHOLBAM. Take CHOLBAM at least 1 hour before or 4 to 6 hours (or at as great an interval as possible) after a bile acid binding resin [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ] . Aluminum-Based Antacids Aluminum-based antacids have been shown to adsorb bile acids in vitro and can reduce the bioavailability of CHOLBAM. Take CHOLBAM at least 1 hour before or 4 to 6 hours (or at as great an interval as possible) after an aluminum-based antacid [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ] .
Adverse reactions
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following clinically significant adverse reaction is described elsewhere in the labeling: Exacerbation of Liver Impairment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Most common adverse reactions (≥1%) are diarrhea, reflux esophagitis, malaise, jaundice, skin lesion, nausea, abdominal pain, intestinal polyp, urinary tract infection, and peripheral neuropathy. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Travere Therapeutics, Inc. at 1-877-659-5518 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Clinical safety experience with CHOLBAM consists of: Trial 1: a non-randomized, open-label, single-arm trial of 50 patients with bile acid synthesis disorders due to SEDs and 29 patients with PDs including Zellweger spectrum disorders. Safety data are available over the 18 years of the trial. Trial 2: an extension trial of 12 new patients (10 SED and 2 PD) along with 31 (21 SED and 10 PD) patients who rolled over from Trial 1. Safety data are available for 3 years and 11 months of treatment. Adverse events were not collected systematically in either of these trials. Most patients received an oral dose of 10 to 15 mg/kg/day of CHOLBAM. Deaths In Trial 1, among the 50 patients with SEDs, 5 patients aged 1 year or less died, which included three patients originally diagnosed with AKR1D1 deficiency, one with 3β-HSD deficiency and one with CYP7A1 deficiency. The cause of death was attributed to progression of underlying liver disease in every patient. Of the 29 patients in Trial 1 with PDs including Zellweger spectrum disorders, 12 patients between the ages of 7 months and 2.5 years died. In the majority of these patients (8/12), the cause of death was attributed to progression of underlying liver disease or to a worsening of their primary illness. Two additional patients in Trial 1 (1 SED and 1 PD) died who had been off study medication for more than one year with the cause of death most likely being a progression of their underlying liver disease. Of the patients who died with disease progression, laboratory testing showed abnormal serum transaminases, bilirubin, or cholestasis on liver biopsy suggesting worsening of their underlying cholestasis. In Trial 2, among the 31 patients with SED, two patients (1 new patient and 1 who rolled over from Trial 1) died. The cause of death in both cases was unrelated to their primary treatment or progression of their underlying liver disease. Of the 12 patients with PD in Trial 2, four patients died between the ages of 4 and 8 years (1 new patient and 3 who rolled over from Trial 1). The cause of death in three of these patients was attributed to progression of underlying liver disease or to a worsening of their primary illness. Worsening Liver Impairment Seven patients in Trial 1(4 SED and 3 PD) and 3 patients in Trial 2 (1 SED and 2 PD) experienced worsening serum transaminases, elevated bilirubin values, or worsening cholestasis on liver biopsy during treatment [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Common Adverse Reactions There were 12 adverse reactions reported across 9 patients in the trials, with diarrhea being the most common reaction in approximately 2% of the patient population. All other adverse reactions represented 1% of the patient population. The breakdown by trial follows: Table 3: Most Common Adverse Reactions in Trials 1 and 2 Adverse Reactions Trial 1 Trial 2 Adverse reactions that occurred in new patients Overall n (%) Diarrhea 1 2 3 (2) Reflux Esophagitis 1 0 1 (1) Malaise 1 0 1 (1) Jaundice 1 0 1 (1) Skin lesion 1 0 1 (1) Nausea 0 1 1 (1) Abdominal Pain 0 1 1 (1) Intestinal Polyp 0 1 1 (1) Urinary Tract Infection 0 1 1 (1) Peripheral Neuropathy 0 1 1 (1) Only one of the reactions (peripheral neuropathy) resulted in discontinuation of medication for a patient in Trial 2. An additional five SED patients (3 from Trial 1 and 2 from Trial 2) and 1 PD patient (Trial 1) discontinued medication and withdrew from the study due to a worsening of their primary disease. The development of symptomatic cholelithiasis requiring cholecystectomy has been reported in a single patient with 3β-HSD deficiency.
Use in pregnancy
8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Exposure Registry There is a pregnancy surveillance program that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to CHOLBAM during pregnancy [COCOA Registry (ChOlbam: Child and mOther's heAlth)]. Women who become pregnant during CHOLBAM treatment are encouraged to enroll. Patients or their health care provider should call 1-844-20C-OCOA or 1-844-202-6262 to enroll. Risk Summary No studies in pregnant women or animal reproduction studies have been conducted with CHOLBAM. Limited published case reports discuss pregnancies in women taking cholic acid for 3β-HSD deficiency resulting in healthy infants. These reports may not adequately inform the presence or absence of drug-associated risk with the use of CHOLBAM during pregnancy. The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. However, the background risk in the U.S. general population of major birth defects is 2-4% and of miscarriage is 15-20% of clinically recognized pregnancies.

Label text is reproduced as-is from the FDA-approved label. We do not paraphrase, summarize, or omit. Content above is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your prescribing clinician or pharmacist before making decisions about your medication.

Conditions we've indexed resources for

Click a condition to see copay cards, grants, and PA rules specific to it. For the full list of FDA-approved indications, see Prescribing information above.

Medicare Part D coverage

How CHOLBAM appears across Medicare Part D plan formularies nationally. Source: CMS monthly Prescription Drug Plan file (2026-04-30).

Covered by plans

21%

1,151 of 5,509 plans

Most common tier

Tier 5

On 83% of covering formularies

Prior authorization required

100%

of covering formularies

TierFormularies on this tierShare
Tier 1 (preferred generic)5
8%
Tier 2 (generic)1
2%
Tier 4 (non-preferred brand)3
5%
Tier 5 (specialty)50
83%
Tier 61
2%

Step therapy: 0% of formularies

Quantity limits: 12% of formularies

Coverage breadth: 60 of 65 formularies

How to read this:plans on the same formulary share tier + PA rules. Your specific plan's copay depends on (a) the tier above, (b) your plan's cost-share for that tier, (c) whether you're in the initial coverage phase or past the 2026 $2,000 out-of-pocket cap. For your exact plan, check its Summary of Benefits or log in to your Medicare.gov account. Copay cards don't apply to Medicare (federal law).

Prior authorization & coverage

PayerPAStep therapyCopay tier

Medicare Part D

Medicare Part D

Related drugs

How this page is sourced

  • Drug identity verified against openFDA NDC Directory.
  • Label text (when shown) originates from NLM DailyMed.
  • Copay and assistance URLs verified periodically; if you hit a broken link, tell us.

Rare-disease navigation (specialists, trials, patient communities)

CHOLBAM treats a rare condition. For in-depth disease pages on our sister site:

UniteRare.org is our sister site for rare-disease navigation — same editorial team, same accuracy standards.