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Pepcid (famotidine)
Competitively blocks histamine H2 receptors on gastric parietal cells, reducing basal and stimulated acid secretion.
Famotidine (Pepcid) is the most potent H2 receptor antagonist, first approved in 1986. Now available OTC and generically, it provides effective acid suppression for GERD and heartburn. It gained renewed attention during COVID-19 as a potential adjunct therapy.
At a glance
| Generic name | famotidine |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Pepcid, Pepcid AC |
| Sponsor | Generic (originally Yamanouchi/Merck) |
| Drug class | Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist [EPC] |
| Target | Multidrug and toxin extrusion protein 1, Multidrug and toxin extrusion protein 2, Solute carrier family 22 member 2 |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Cardiovascular |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
| First approval | 1986-10-01 (United States) |
Mechanism of action
Famotidine is the most potent H2 receptor antagonist, approximately 7-10 times more potent than ranitidine. It competitively blocks histamine at the H2 receptors on gastric parietal cells, reducing both basal and meal-stimulated acid secretion. It has a duration of action of 10-12 hours and is well-tolerated with few drug interactions compared to cimetidine.
Approved indications
- Duodenal ulcer disease
- Dyspepsia Prevention
- Erosive esophagitis
- Gastric ulcer
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Heartburn
- Heartburn Prevention
- Indigestion
- Maintenance of Healing Duodenal Ulcer
- Peptic reflux disease
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
Common side effects
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal discomfort
- Anorexia
- Dry mouth
- Fever
- Asthenia
- Fatigue
Serious adverse events
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis/Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- Anaphylaxis
- Interstitial pneumonia
- Rhabdomyolysis
- Agranulocytosis
- Pancytopenia
- Hepatitis
- Cholestatic jaundice
- Angioedema
- Seizure
Key clinical trials
- A Phase 1 Study of the Effect of Acid-reducing Agents on the Pharmacokinetics of a Single Oral Dose of Sitravatinib in Healthy Adult Subjects (Phase 1)
- An Open-Label, Randomized, Two-sequence, Two-period, Fasting Condition, Single Oral Dose, Cross-over Study of Bioequivalence of "Gaster®D Tab20mg (Famotidine) (Changed Manufacturer)" and "Gaster®D Tab (NA)
- Proof-of-concept Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial of Famotidine for Outpatients With COVID-19 (Phase 4)
- Elotuzumab in Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease (IgG4-RD) (Phase 2)
- A Phase I Study of Moxetumomab Pasudotox-tdfk (Lumoxiti (TM)) and Either Rituximab (Rituxan (R)) or Ruxience for Relapsed Hairy Cell Leukemia (Phase 1)
- Feasibility Assessment of a Decentralized Platform Adaptive Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating Repurposed Drugs in the Treatment of Post-Acute Sequelae of Coronavirus-19 (PASC) (Phase 3)
- Randomized, Open-Label, Multiple-Dose Study to Evaluate the Effect of Famotidine on the Pharmacokinetics of Atazanavir/Ritonavir/Tenofovir in Healthy Subjects (Phase 1)
- The Importance of the Use of Omeprazole and Famotidine in the Development of Chronic Dysfunction of the Transplanted Kidney (N/A)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Mechanism, indications, dosing, boxed warnings, drug interactions |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Pepcid CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Pepcid updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Generic (originally Yamanouchi/Merck) portfolio CI