Vyepti (eptinezumab-jjmr)

Is Vyepti used for migraine?

Vyepti is an infusion used to prevent migraine episodes in adults. Headaches that result can be moderate to severe and may last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours. Migraine pain usually affects one side of a person’s head.

Besides headaches, other symptoms can occur with a migraine episode, such as:

• nausea
• vomiting
• sensitivity to light or sound

Sometimes aura symptoms happen before or during the migraine episode. Aura symptoms may include:

• flashes of light
• tingling in your hands or feet
• trouble seeing

Mechanism of action: How does Vyepti work?

Vyepti is an antibody, and it’s part of a group of drugs called CGRP blockers. These drugs work by attaching to a protein called CGRP.

CGRPs bind to other proteins in the brain called receptors, which act as docking stations. It’s thought that this binding results in migraine pain.

Vyepti attaches to CGRPs so that these proteins can’t bind to their receptors. This helps to prevent migraine pain.

For more details about using Vyepti to help prevent migraine episodes, talk with your doctor.

Note: Vyepti is not used to treat migraine symptoms when they occur, only to help prevent them in the first place. Your doctor or pharmacist can suggest other medications for treating migraine symptoms as they happen.

What are Vyepti’s side effects?

Like most drugs, Vyepti may cause mild or serious side effects. This section describes some of the more common side effects that Vyepti may cause. It doesn’t cover all possible side effects.

Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:

• your age
• other health conditions you have
• other medications you take

Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the potential side effects of Vyepti. And they may be able to suggest ways to help reduce side effects.

You can also check out this article on Vyepti’s side effects for more information.

Mild side effects

Mild side effects of Vyepti that have been reported include:

• cold-like symptoms (see the “Side effect focus” section for more details)

To learn about other mild side effects this drug may cause, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or read Vyepti’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects from Vyepti can occur, but they aren’t common. If you have serious side effects from Vyepti, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or your local emergency number.

A serious side effect of Vyepti that has been reported is:

• allergic reaction (see the “Side effect focus” section for more details)

Side effect focus

Learn more about some of the side effects Vyepti may cause.

Cold-like symptoms

Cold-like symptoms are common with Vyepti. You might have a sore or scratchy throat and a stuffy nose after receiving Vyepti. In studies of the drug, cold-like symptoms were mild to moderate.

What might help

If you have cold-like symptoms during Vyepti treatment that become bothersome, talk with your doctor. They may suggest remedies to help soothe your throat or clear your nose.

Here are a few tips that may help prevent getting a cold after a Vyepti infusion:

• Wash your hands often.
• Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
• Keep your distance from people who are sick.

These measures can also help prevent passing a cold to others. If you’re feeling sick, you may need to stay home.

Allergic reaction

Some people may have an allergic reaction to Vyepti.

Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:

• skin rash
• itchiness
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
• hives

These symptoms occurred during Vyepti infusions or shortly after. Most people had mild to moderate symptoms that disappeared after a day or two.

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. They can also include swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat, which can cause trouble breathing.

Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Vyepti. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.

What are some frequently asked questions about Vyepti?

Find answers to some commonly asked questions about Vyepti.

Does Vyepti cause weight gain?

No, it’s not likely. Weight gain wasn’t one of the side effects reported in studies of Vyepti.

If you’re experiencing weight gain, talk with your doctor. They can determine whether Vyepti or something else is causing this side effect. Your doctor can then suggest ways for you to achieve a moderate weight.

Does Vyepti cause hair loss?

No, hair loss wasn’t reported as a side effect in studies of Vyepti.

Other drugs used for migraine, such as topiramate (Topamax) and divalproex (Depakote, Depakote ER), can sometimes cause hair loss. Stress from chronic migraine episodes may also lead to hair thinning. However, hair loss isn’t an expected side effect of Vyepti.

If you experience hair loss during treatment with Vyepti, talk with your doctor. They can help determine what might be causing it and suggest ways to manage it, if possible.

Vyepti cost and coupons

Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering Vyepti. What you’ll pay for Vyepti may depend on several things, such as your treatment plan and where you receive your Vyepti infusion.

Here are a few things to consider regarding cost:

• Cost information and savings coupons: You can visit Optum Perks to get price estimates of what you’d pay for Vyepti when using coupons from the site. See the coupon options below. (Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.)
• Generic or biosimilar form: Vyepti isn’t available in a biosimilar form. (Biosimilars are like generic drugs. But unlike generics, which are made for non-biologic drugs, biosimilars are made for biologic drugs.)
• Savings program: If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You might also want to visit the Vyepti manufacturer’s website to see whether it has support options that you’re eligible for.

You can also check out this article to learn more about saving money on prescriptions.

What is Vyepti’s dosage?

Your doctor will recommend the dosage of Vyepti that’s right for you. Below are commonly used dosages, but the dosage you receive will be determined by your doctor.

Form

Vyepti comes as a solution that a healthcare professional will mix with saline (a solution of salt and water). They’ll give you this mixture as an IV infusion (an injection into a vein that you’ll receive over a period of time).

Recommended dosage

Your doctor will tell you how much Vyepti you’ll need. You’ll receive your dose of Vyepti once every 3 months. Depending on how well Vyepti works and how severe your migraine episodes are, you might need a higher dose.

For more details, see this article about Vyepti’s dosage.

Questions about Vyepti’s dosage

Here’s a list of commonly asked questions related to Vyepti’s dosage.

• What if I miss a dose of Vyepti? If you miss an appointment for a Vyepti infusion, call your doctor’s office to reschedule. Missing a dose of Vyepti may cause migraine episodes to return. If you’ve missed a dose of Vyepti, talk with your doctor to find out when you’ll need to receive your next dose.
• Will I need to use Vyepti long term? To help prevent migraine episodes, you may need to receive Vyepti long term. If Vyepti is working well for you and your side effects are manageable, your doctor may recommend that you receive Vyepti long term.
• How long does Vyepti take to work? Vyepti works quickly, but it may take a few weeks for you to notice. In studies, people saw a decrease in their migraine episodes within the first 3 months. Improvement was measured by how many migraine days a person had over 3 months.

How is Vyepti administered?

Your doctor will explain how you’ll receive Vyepti. They’ll also explain how much you’ll receive and how often.

Receiving Vyepti

Vyepti comes as a solution that a healthcare professional will inject directly into a vein over a period of time. This is known as an IV infusion. Vyepti IV infusions take about 30 minutes, and you’ll have one every 3 months.

Receiving Vyepti with other drugs

You’ll usually receive Vyepti on its own to help prevent migraine episodes.

Note that Vyepti is used to prevent migraine episodes. It’s not used to treat symptoms, such as headaches, as they occur. Your doctor may prescribe other drugs for this purpose. Examples include ergotamine (Ergomar) and triptans such as sumatriptan (Imitrex) and zolmitriptan (Zomig).

To find out more about medications that can treat your migraine symptoms when they happen, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Questions for your doctor

You may have questions about Vyepti and your treatment plan. It’s important to discuss all your concerns with your doctor.

Here are a few tips that might help guide your discussion:

• Before your appointment, write down questions such as:
  • How will Vyepti affect my body, mood, or lifestyle?
• Bring someone with you to your appointment if doing so will help you feel more comfortable.
• If you don’t understand something related to your condition or treatment, ask your doctor to explain it to you.

Remember, your doctor and other healthcare professionals are available to help you. And they want you to get the best care possible. So don’t be afraid to ask questions or offer feedback on your treatment.

What should be considered before taking Vyepti?

Some important things to discuss with your doctor when considering treatment with Vyepti include your overall health and any medical conditions you may have.

Tell your doctor if you’re taking other medications. This is important because some drugs can interfere with Vyepti. These and other considerations to discuss with your doctor are described below.

Interactions

Taking a medication with certain vaccines, foods, and other things can affect how the medication works. These effects are called interactions.

Before taking Vyepti, be sure to tell your doctor about all medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter types. Also describe any vitamins, herbs, or supplements you use. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you about any interactions these items may cause with Vyepti.

Interactions with drugs or supplements

So far, there aren’t any known interactions between Vyepti and other drugs, vitamins, supplements, or herbs. But this doesn’t mean interactions with Vyepti can’t happen.

To be safe, talk with your doctor before taking any drugs, vitamins, herbs, or supplements during Vyepti treatment.

Warnings

Vyepti may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Talk with your doctor about your health history before you start Vyepti treatment. Here are some factors to consider:

• Raynaud phenomenon: Tell your doctor if you have a personal or family history of Raynaud phenomenon. This condition occurs when blood vessels in your hands and feet constrict, reducing blood flow to those body parts. Raynaud phenomenon wasn’t reported with Vyepti, but there have been postmarket reports of this side effect occurring with similar drugs. You may have a higher risk of Raynaud phenomenon if you’ve previously had it. If you develop symptoms of this condition, your doctor will likely recommend stopping treatment with Vyepti.
• High blood pressure: If you have high blood pressure, talk with your doctor before starting treatment with Vyepti. There have been postmarket reports of Vyepti and similar drugs causing new or worsening high blood pressure. This may happen at any point during treatment, but it’s most common within 1 week of the first Vyepti dose. During treatment, your doctor will monitor your blood pressure. In some cases, they may recommend stopping treatment with Vyepti.
• Age: Vyepti hasn’t been studied much in adults ages 65 years and older. Due to this, it’s not known for sure whether older adults respond differently to the medication. If you’re age 65 or older, talk with your doctor about your health factors and whether Vyepti is safe for you.
• Allergic reaction: If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Vyepti or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely recommend that you don’t receive Vyepti. Ask your doctor what other medications are better options for you.

Vyepti and alcohol

Vyepti isn’t known to interact with alcohol.

But for some people, alcohol may trigger migraine episodes. So avoiding alcohol may help you prevent migraine episodes.

Before starting Vyepti treatment, ask your doctor whether it’s safe for you to drink alcohol while receiving this drug.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

It’s unknown whether Vyepti is safe to use during pregnancy.

Migraine episodes can be dangerous during pregnancy. Someone who’s pregnant and has migraine may be at higher risk of high blood pressure and a severe pregnancy complication called preeclampsia. If you’re pregnant or considering pregnancy while receiving Vyepti, talk with your doctor. You can discuss the best treatment option to prevent migraine episodes during this time.

It’s also unknown whether it’s safe to breastfeed while receiving Vyepti. Tell your doctor if you’re breastfeeding or considering breastfeeding while taking Vyepti. They can discuss with you safe ways to feed your child.

What should I know about Vyepti vs. Aimovig?

Vyepti and Aimovig both belong to the same group of medications, CGRP blockers. CGRP blockers help prevent migraine episodes. But the active ingredients of these two medications are different: Aimovig contains erenumab-aooe, and Vyepti contains eptinezumab-jjmr.

Be sure to talk with your doctor about which drug is the right option for you.

What to ask your doctor

If you have questions about taking Vyepti, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other treatments you can use for your condition. You might also find the information in the following article helpful:

• Relief from Chronic Migraine

Some questions about Vyepti you may want to ask your doctor include:

• Which natural remedies can I take with Vyepti to prevent migraine episodes?
• Can Vyepti cure migraine?
• How can I switch from Vyepti to Aimovig?
• Can Vyepti be used to prevent other types of headaches?
• Can I take pain relief medication if I have a headache due to migraine on the day I receive a Vyepti infusion?