Relacorilant and Clindamycin: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · AI content regenerated Jul 11, 2026 · Source data updated Jul 1, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Relacorilant
Clindamycin
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
Here's what's going on. Relacorilant can slow down a liver enzyme called CYP3A4, which is the same enzyme your body uses to break down clindamycin, an antibiotic. When that enzyme is blocked, clindamycin can build up higher than usual in your blood. That can raise your chance of side effects like stomach upset, diarrhea, or other reactions.
The good news is this is very manageable. Your doctor and pharmacist may pick a different plan, adjust things, or watch you more closely if you do take both. Please don't stop or change either medicine on your own. Just let your care team know you take both, and they'll guide you.
Mechanism: Relacorilant inhibits CYP3A4-mediated metabolism. Clindamycin is a CYP3A4 substrate, so co-administration is expected to increase clindamycin exposure (AUC/Cmax) and the risk of substrate-related adverse effects. Neither drug's action is reversed here (clindamycin is active, not a prodrug requiring CYP3A4 activation).
- Direction: increased clindamycin exposure/effect
- Severity: major; evidence: probable; onset: unspecified
- Management: Avoid concomitant use unless otherwise recommended. If combined, individualize dosing and monitor for clindamycin-related toxicity (GI intolerance, diarrhea, and signs of C. difficile-associated disease).
What happens
Increased CYP3A4 substrate exposure and an increased risk of CYP3A4-substrate-related adverse reactions
Interaction Deep Dive
Do not combine relacorilant with CYP3A4 substrates unless there is a specific recommendation to do so. Taking them together can raise exposure to these substrates and heighten the likelihood of adverse reactions associated with them1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Inhibition of CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of relacorilant
How to manage this interaction
What your care team may do:
- Prefer to avoid using these two together when possible, or choose an alternative antibiotic.
- If both are truly needed, tailor the plan and watch you more closely for clindamycin side effects.
What you can do:
- Keep taking both exactly as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you otherwise.
- Tell your pharmacist and doctor you take both so they can review the combination.
- Report side effects such as ongoing diarrhea, stomach pain, or nausea promptly.
Management is individual — confirm any change with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) In studies examining drug interactions, giving relacorilant 350 mg under fasted conditions (equivalent to 1.8 times the relacorilant exposure achieved at the recommended dosage) once daily for 10 days together with midazolam (a CYP3A4 substrate) raised the Cmax by 3.1-fold and the AUC by 8.9-fold 1.
Common questions
Can I take Relacorilant and Clindamycin together?
Relacorilant can raise clindamycin levels by slowing its breakdown, so this combination is usually avoided unless your care team recommends it; keep taking both as prescribed and check with your pharmacist or doctor. Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Relacorilant and Clindamycin interaction?
It is rated major. Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How is the Relacorilant and Clindamycin interaction managed?
What your care team may do: Prefer to avoid using these two together when possible, or choose an alternative antibiotic. If both are truly needed, tailor the plan and watch you more closely for clindamycin side effects. What you can do: Keep taking both exactly as prescribed unless your prescriber tells you otherwise. Tell your pharmacist and doctor you take both so they can review the combination… Management is individual — always follow your own care team's guidance.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "probable". Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Relacorilant or Clindamycin need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there a safer alternative to one of these medications for me?
References (1)
- Product Information: LIFYORLI™ oral capsules, relacorilant oral capsules. Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (Per Manufacturer), Redwood City, CA, 2026. DailyMed
Keep reading about Relacorilant
Keep reading about Clindamycin
These medications also interact with supplements
Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
Check another combination
Our instant two-drug interaction checker is almost here.
Still have questions about this combination?
Every question gets a real answer from a licensed pharmacist — free, and usually within a day.
Ask the pharmacist