Velsipity (etrasimod)

Velsipity generic

Velsipity is available only as a brand-name medication. It’s not currently available in generic form.

A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. Generics typically cost less than brand-name drugs.

Velsipity dosage

The following information describes dosages that are commonly prescribed or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Drug forms and strengths

Velsipity comes as an oral tablet. It’s available in one strength of 2 milligrams (mg).

Dosage for ulcerative colitis

Velsipity is prescribed to treat ulcerative colitis in adults. The recommended dosage is 2 mg, taken once per day.

About taking Velsipity

Below you’ll find information about key dosage issues.

• When to take. You should take Velsipity once per day. You can take your dose at any time of day. Taking your dose around the same time each day helps keep a steady level of the drug in your body. This helps Velsipity work effectively.
• If you miss a dose. If you miss a dose, talk with your doctor for advice. They may recommend taking the missed dose as soon as possible unless it’s almost time for your next dose. In general, you should not take a double dose of a medication to make up for a missed dose.
• Taking Velsipity with food. Velsipity may be taken with or without food.
• Crushing, splitting, or chewing Velsipity. Velsipity is a tablet that’s swallowed whole. You should not crush, split, or chew the tablet before swallowing it.
• Length of treatment. Velsipity is meant to be a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Velsipity is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.

Overdose

Do not take more Velsipity than your doctor recommends. For some drugs, doing so may lead to unwanted side effects or overdose. To learn about side effects of Velsipity, see the “Velsipity side effects” section below.

What to do in case you take too much Velsipity

If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. However, if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Velsipity side effects

Velsipity can cause mild or serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Velsipity. These lists do not include all possible side effects.

For more information about the possible side effects of Velsipity, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can give you tips on how to manage any side effects that may be concerning or bothersome.

Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs it has approved. If you would like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with Velsipity, you can do so through MedWatch.

Mild side effects

Below is a partial list of mild side effects of Velsipity. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist or view Velsipity’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects of Velsipity can include:

• headache
• dizziness
• joint pain
• nausea
• mild infection, such as urinary tract infection (UTI)
• mild allergic reaction*

Most of these side effects may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. However, if they become more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* For more information about allergic reaction and Velsipity, see “Allergic reaction” below.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects from Velsipity aren’t common, but they can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 or your local emergency number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Serious side effects and their symptoms can include:

• Increased risk of infection. This may include herpes zoster (shingles) and rare but serious viral infections such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Symptoms of PML can include:
  • weakness or clumsiness that affects one side of the body and worsens over time
  • vision changes
  • confusion
• Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (a condition that causes swelling of the brain). Symptoms can include:
  • headache
  • seizures
  • changes in vision
  • altered consciousness, such as feeling suddenly confused or agitated
• Temporarily decreased heart rate and slowed electrical signals in the heart. Symptoms can include:
  • dizziness
  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain or discomfort
• Liver problems. Signs and symptoms can include:
  • nausea and vomiting
  • abdominal pain
  • fatigue
  • jaundice
  • dark urine
  • elevated liver enzymes
  • not having much of an appetite
• Increased blood pressure. This may not cause symptoms, but very high blood pressure can cause:
  • headache
  • chest pain
  • shortness of breath
• Increased levels of cholesterol in the blood. This doesn’t cause symptoms but may cause or worsen high cholesterol.
• Decreased lung function. A sign of this side effect is exhaling less air, which your doctor can monitor with spirometry.
• Vision or eye changes such as:
  • reduced vision acuity (sharpness of your vision)
  • macular edema (fluid buildup in a certain area in your eye)
• Risk of skin cancer. Symptoms of skin cancer can include:
  • new skin moles or lesions
  • changes in size, shape, or color of a current mole or lesion
  • a lesion that itches, bleeds, or does not heal
• Severe allergic reaction.*

* For details about allergic reaction and Velsipity, see “Allergic reaction” just below.

ALLERGIC REACTION

As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking Velsipity. This side effect wasn’t reported in clinical trials of this drug but can still occur.

Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:

• skin rash
• itchiness
• flushing

A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include:

• swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
• swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat
• difficulty breathing

Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Velsipity, as the reaction could become severe. Call 911 or your local emergency number if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Velsipity uses

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Velsipity to treat certain conditions. Velsipity may also be prescribed off-label for other conditions. Off-label drug use is when an FDA-approved drug is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for.

Velsipity for ulcerative colitis

Velsipity is approved to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults.

UC is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). UC causes ulcers (sores) and swelling of the lining of the colon (large intestine). Symptoms include episodes of diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, blood or mucus in the stool, and lack of appetite.

For this purpose, Velsipity may be prescribed by itself or with other medications for UC. Examples of other UC drugs that may be prescribed with Velsipity include:

• oral aminosalicylates such as mesalamine (Apriso, Delzicol, Lialda, Pentasa)
• oral corticosteroids such as budesonide (Entocort, Tarpeyo, Uceris)

You can learn more about your condition by visiting our hub for IBD.

Velsipity and children

It isn’t known whether Velsipity is safe or effective for children. The drug has only received FDA approval for use in adults.

Velsipity interactions

Velsipity can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods.

Before taking Velsipity, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also, tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

Interactions with medications, foods, and supplements

Below is a list of medications, supplements, and foods that can interact with Velsipity. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Velsipity. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

* St. John’s wort is taken to ease symptoms of depression and certain other conditions.
† A live vaccine contains live but weakened pieces of the virus or bacterium it’s meant to defend against.

Alcohol interaction

Alcohol is not known to interact with Velsipity. However, your doctor may recommend limiting or avoiding alcohol. Drinking alcohol might worsen symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Heavy alcohol consumption may also increase the risk of liver problems, which is a possible side effect of Velsipity.

If you have questions about how much alcohol is safe to drink while taking Velsipity, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Velsipity cost

As with all medications, the cost of Velsipity can vary. The actual price you’ll pay depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Financial and insurance assistance. If you need financial support to pay for Velsipity, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.

A copay savings program is available for Velsipity. For more information and to find out whether you’re eligible for support, call 800-350-3080 or visit the program website.

Generic version.Velsipity isn’t available in a generic form. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.

To learn more about saving money on prescriptions, check out this article.

Similar drugs

Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. Some may be a better fit for you than others. If you’re interested in finding an alternative to Velsipity, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you.

Ozanimod (Zeposia) is a similar drug to Velsipity that’s approved to treat ulcerative colitis (UC).

Examples of other types of drugs for UC include:

• immunomodulators, such as methotrexate (Trexall) and azathioprine (Imuran)
• aminosalicylates, such as mesalamine (Apriso, Delzicol, Lialda, Pentasa, Rowasa) and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine)
• corticosteroids, such as prednisone (Rayos) and budesonide (Entocort, Tarpeyo, Uceris)
• Janus kinase inhibitors, such as tofacitinib (Xeljanz)
• biologic drugs, such as:
  • adalimumab (Humira)
  • golimumab (Simponi)
  • infliximab (Remicade)
  • vedolizumab (Entyvio)

Things to consider when taking Velsipity

If you can become pregnant, consider the following information about pregnancy, birth control, and breastfeeding.

Velsipity and pregnancy

Velsipity should not be taken during pregnancy. Based on findings from animal studies, the drug may cause congenital anomalies (commonly known as birth defects).

If you’re planning a pregnancy, talk with your doctor before taking this medication. If you can become pregnant, your doctor will likely suggest birth control options to use during treatment with Velsipity.

If you become pregnant during Velsipity treatment, tell your doctor right away. They’ll discuss your options with you. They may also suggest joining the drug’s pregnancy registry. The purpose of a pregnancy registry is to collect information about how a drug affects pregnancy. For more information, call 800-616-3791.

Velsipity and birth control

It may not be safe to take Velsipity during pregnancy. If you’re sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your birth control needs while you’re taking Velsipity.

Note: Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the terms “female” and “male” in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.

For females taking Velsipity

Females who are able to become pregnant should use birth control during Velsipity treatment. And they should continue using birth control for 1 week after their last dose of the drug.

For males taking Velsipity

The manufacturer of Velsipity hasn’t provided specific recommendations related to contraception for males taking Velsipity. If your partner is able to become pregnant, talk with your doctor to determine whether using birth control (such as condoms) is necessary during Velsipity treatment.

Velsipity and breastfeeding

It’s not known whether Velsipity should be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.

Common questions about Velsipity

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Velsipity.

How does Velsipity work?

It’s not known exactly how Velsipity works to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). This is a type of inflammatory bowel disease. UC causes ulcers (sores) and swelling of the lining of the colon (large intestine). UC is an autoimmune condition, meaning your immune system is attacking the affected organs or tissues.

Velsipity is known to attach to a receptor (binding site) called sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). It’s thought that by binding to S1P, Velsipity prevents lymphocytes (immune system cells) from moving into the blood. This may reduce the movement of lymphocytes into the intestines. And having fewer lymphocytes helps slow or stop these cells from attacking the lining of the colon.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for more information about how Velsipity works.

Can Velsipity cause long-term side effects?

Possibly. Velsipity may cause side effects that start during treatment and continue after your last dose. Examples include:

• Immune system effects, such as an increased risk of infection. This side effect can start during treatment and may persist for up to 5 weeks after stopping Velsipity treatment.
• Eye-related side effects, such as macular edema (fluid buildup in a certain area in your eye). This side effect may start during treatment and, left untreated, can lead to permanent vision loss.

Because of these risks, you and your doctor will monitor for side effects during and after Velsipity treatment. This includes watching for symptoms of infection (such as fever) and getting regular eye exams. Your doctor may also recommend getting certain vaccines before starting Velsipity treatment. This can help protect you against certain infections.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about possible long-term side effects of Velsipity. To learn about the drug’s mild and serious side effects, see the “Velsipity side effects” section above.

How does Velsipity compare with mesalamine?

So far, no clinical trials have compared the effectiveness of Velsipity and mesalamine side by side. However, in Velsipity’s clinical trials, Velsipity was effective for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults. This includes people whose conditions didn’t respond well to (or they couldn’t take) various UC medications (including mesalamine) in the past.

So far, no clinical trials have compared the effectiveness of Velsipity and mesalamine side by side. However, in Velsipity’s clinical trials, Velsipity was effective for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults. This includes people whose conditions didn’t respond well to (or they couldn’t take) various UC medications (including mesalamine) in the past.

To determine whether one or both of these medications may be right for you, talk with your doctor.