Simvastatin and Albiglutide: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · AI content regenerated Jul 11, 2026 · Source data updated Jul 4, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Simvastatin
Albiglutide
No brand names on record
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.
You take simvastatin (a cholesterol medicine) and albiglutide (a diabetes injection). When they are used together, a study found that the levels of simvastatin and its active form in your blood shifted a bit. Simvastatin is actually a prodrug, meaning your body turns it into the active cholesterol-lowering form, and the amount of that active form went up when the two were combined.
The good news is that no real-world problems have been shown from this. It just means your care team may want to keep a closer eye on you. Please keep taking both as prescribed, and let your pharmacist or doctor know if you notice muscle aches or weakness.
Effect: A PK study showed coadministration of albiglutide with simvastatin altered simvastatin exposure: simvastatin Cmax +18% (AUC -40%), and active metabolite simvastatin acid Cmax +98% (AUC +36%).
- Direction: Increased Cmax of parent drug and its active acid metabolite; simvastatin is a prodrug hydrolyzed to the active acid.
- Mechanism: Unknown.
- Evidence: Probable; clinical relevance not demonstrated.
- Onset: Unspecified.
- Management: Exercise caution. Monitor for statin-related myopathy/transaminase elevations; dose may be individualized by the care team if clinically indicated.
What happens
Increased Cmax of simvastatin and its active metabolite, simvastatin acid
Interaction Deep Dive
In a pharmacokinetic investigation, giving albiglutide together with simvastatin raised the Cmax of simvastatin by 18% and that of its active metabolite (simvastatin acid) by 98%; at the same time, simvastatin AUC fell by 40% while simvastatin acid AUC rose by 36%. The clinical significance of these changes has not been established, but caution is recommended when albiglutide and simvastatin are used together1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Unknown
How to manage this interaction
What your care team may do:
- Use caution when the two are prescribed together and monitor you more closely for statin side effects such as muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness.
- Adjust and individualize your simvastatin dose if they feel it is warranted.
What you should do:
- Keep taking both medicines exactly as prescribed unless told otherwise.
- Tell your pharmacist or prescriber about any new or unexplained muscle aches, weakness, or dark urine.
- Ask your pharmacist if you have questions about combining these two.
Management is individual — confirm any change with your pharmacist or prescriber.
Common questions
Can I take Simvastatin and Albiglutide together?
Combining albiglutide with simvastatin raised blood levels of simvastatin's active form in a study, though no real-world harm has been shown; keep taking both as prescribed and report any muscle aches to your care team. Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Simvastatin and Albiglutide interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.
How is the Simvastatin and Albiglutide interaction managed?
What your care team may do: Use caution when the two are prescribed together and monitor you more closely for statin side effects such as muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. Adjust and individualize your simvastatin dose if they feel it is warranted. What you should do: Keep taking both medicines exactly as prescribed unless told otherwise. Tell your pharmacist or prescriber about any new or une… 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 Simvastatin or Albiglutide 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 anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (1)
- Product Information: TANZEUM subcutaneous injection powder, albiglutide subcutaneous injection powder. GlaxoSmithKline (per manufacturer), Research Triangle Park, NC, 2014.
Keep reading about Simvastatin
Keep reading about Albiglutide
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