Erdafitinib: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Erdafitinib is a medicine sold in the U.S. under one brand, for transitional cell carcinoma. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Treats
- Transitional Cell Carcinoma
- Available as
- Tablet
- Sold as
- Balversa
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Not in our catalog
How erdafitinib is dosed
From the FDA label for Balversa (application NDA212018). Other erdafitinib products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Confirm the presence of FGFR3 genetic alterations in tumor specimens prior to initiation of treatment with BALVERSA. ( 2.1 ) Recommended initial dosage: 8 mg orally once daily with a dose increase to 9 mg daily if criteria are met. ( 2.2 ) Swallow whole with or without food. ( 2.2 ) 2.1 Patient Selection Select patients for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma with BALVERSA based on the presence of susceptible FGFR3 genetic alterations in tumor specimens as detected by an FDA-approved companion diagnostic [see Clinical Studies (14.1) ] . Information on FDA-approved tests for the detection of FGFR3 genetic alterations in urothelial cancer is available at: http://www.fda.gov/CompanionDiagnostics. 2.2 Recommended Dosage and Schedule The recommended starting dose of BALVERSA is 8 mg (two 4 mg tablets) orally once daily, with a dose increase to 9 mg (three 3 mg tablets) once daily based on tolerability, including hyperphosphatemia, at 14 to 21 days [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ]. Swallow tablets whole with or without food. If vomiting occurs any time after taking BALVERSA, the next dose should be taken the next day. Treatment should continue until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurs. If a dose of BALVERSA is missed, it can be taken as soon as possible on the same day. Resume the regular daily dose schedule for BALVERSA the…
Erdafitinib side effects
The following serious adverse reactions are also described elsewhere in the labeling: Ocular Disorders [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Hyperphosphatemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] . The most common (>20%) adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were increased phosphate, nail disorders, stomatitis, diarrhea, increased creatinine, increased alkaline phosphatase, increased alanine aminotransferase, decreased hemoglobin, decreased sodium, increased aspartate aminotransferase, fatigue, dry mouth, dry skin, decreased phosphate, decreased appetite, dysgeusia, constipation, increased calcium, dry eye, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, increased potassium, alopecia, and central serous retinopathy. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Janssen Products, LP. at 1-800-526-7736 (1-800-JANSSEN and www.BALVERSA.com) 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. The pooled safety population described in the WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS reflects exposure to BALVERSA as a single agent at the recommended dose (8 to 9 mg orally daily) in 479…
Who shouldn’t take erdafitinib
None. None. ( 4 )
Erdafitinib drug interactions
Moderate CYP2C9 or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors: Consider alternative agents or monitor closely for adverse reactions. ( 7.1 ) Strong CYP3A4 inducers: Avoid concomitant use with BALVERSA. ( 7.1 ) Moderate CYP3A4 inducers: Administer BALVERSA at a dose of 9 mg. ( 7.1 ) Serum phosphate level-altering agents: Avoid concomitant use with agents that can alter serum phosphate levels before the initial dose modification period. ( 2.3 , 7.1 ) P-gp substrates: Separate BALVERSA administration by at least 6 hours before or after administration of P-gp substrates with narrow therapeutic indices. ( 7.2 ) 7.1 Effect of Other Drugs on BALVERSA Table 7 summarizes drug interactions that affect the exposure of BALVERSA or serum phosphate level and their clinical management. Table 7: Drug Interactions that Affect BALVERSA Moderate CYP2C9 or Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors Clinical Impact Co-administration of BALVERSA with moderate CYP2C9 or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors increased erdafitinib plasma concentrations [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Increased erdafitinib plasma concentrations may lead to increased drug-related toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5) ]. Clinical Management Consider alternative therapies that are not moderate CYP2C9 or strong CYP3A4 inhibitors during treatment with BALVERSA. If co-administration of a moderate CYP2C9 or strong CYP3A4 inhibitor is unavoidable, monitor closely for adverse reactions and consider dose modifications accordingly [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ]. If the moderate CYP2C9 or strong CYP3A4 inhibitor is discontinued, resume the BALVERSA dose before dose modifications in the absence of drug-related toxicity. Strong CYP3A4 Inducers Clinical Impact Co-administration of BALVERSA with strong CYP3A4 inducers decreased erdafitinib plasma concentrations [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Decreased erdafitinib plasma concentrations may lead to decreased activity. Clinical Management Avoid co-administration of strong CYP3A4 inducers with BALVERSA. Moderate CYP3A4 Inducers Clinical Impact Co-administration of BALVERSA with moderate CYP3A4 inducers may decrease erdafitinib plasma concentrations [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Decreased erdafitinib plasma concentrations may lead to decreased activity. Clinical Management If a moderate CYP3A4 inducer must be co-administered at the start of BALVERSA treatment, administer BALVERSA at a dose of 9 mg daily. When a moderate CYP3A4 inducer is discontinued, continue BALVERSA at the same dose, in the absence of drug-related toxicity. Serum Phosphate Level-Altering Agents Clinical Impact Co-administration of BALVERSA with other serum phosphate level-altering agents may increase or decrease serum phosphate levels [see Pharmacodynamics (12.2) ]. Changes in serum phosphate levels due to serum phosphate level-altering agents (other than erdafitinib) may interfere with serum phosphate levels needed for the determination of initial dose increased based on serum phosphate levels [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ]. Clinical Management Avoid co-administration of serum phosphate level-altering agents with BALVERSA before initial dose increase period based on serum phosphate levels (Days 14 to 21) [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ]. 7.2 Effect of BALVERSA on Other Drugs Table 8 summarizes the effect of BALVERSA on other drugs and their clinical management. Table 8: BALVERSA Drug Interactions that Affect Other Drugs P-glycoprotein (P-gp) Substrates Clinical Impact Co-administration of BALVERSA with P-gp substrates may increase the plasma concentrations of P-gp substrates [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Increased plasma concentrations of P-gp substrates may lead to increased toxicity of the P-gp substrates. Clinical Management If co-administration of BALVERSA with P-gp substrates is unavoidable, separate BALVERSA administration by at least 6 hours before or after administration of P-gp substrates with narrow therapeutic index.
Every erdafitinib product we track (1)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
Only one: Balversa.
What erdafitinib pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
Can you crush or split erdafitinib?
At least one erdafitinibproduct is labelled to be swallowed whole — crushing an extended-release tablet releases the whole day’s dose at once. Which applies depends on the form you were given.
What each erdafitinib label says about crushing, splitting and chewingWhat people report to the FDA about erdafitinib
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 545 reports naming erdafitinib, and the FDA flagged 86% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- diarrhoea39 reports
- mucosal inflammation28 reports
- onycholysis26 reports
- stomatitis21 reports
- fatigue20 reports
- hyperphosphataemia19 reports
- decreased appetite18 reports
- dry eye17 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean erdafitinib caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is erdafitinib?
Erdafitinib, the active ingredient in BALVERSA, is a kinase inhibitor.
Can you take erdafitinib with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run erdafitinib against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What forms does erdafitinib come in?
Across the brands we track, erdafitinib is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic erdafitinib?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled erdafitinib product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Erdafitinib: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/erdafitinib
- MLA
- “Erdafitinib: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/erdafitinib.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for erdafitinib on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.