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  • Zeposia®
Back to Treatment Guide

Zeposia®

ozanimod

Quick Facts

Zeposia® prevents lymphocytes from escaping lymph nodes and attacking nerves in the central nervous system.

Capsule taken orally.

Once per day. Dosage increased gradually to reduce risk of short term bradycardia (slow heart rate).

Relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis in adults, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, and active secondary-progressive MS

Potential Benefit:

Zeposia® tested against active comparator (interferon beta-1a injectable):

  • 48% fewer relapses
  • 48% fewer T2 lesions
  • 63% fewer T1 Gd-enhancing lesions
  • 9 out of 10 people experienced no disability progression
  • These results were equivalent to other leading injectables

Common Potential Side Effects

Upper respiratory infection, elevated liver enzymes, orthostatic hypotension (sudden drop in blood pressure when shifting position), urinary tract infection, back pain, and high blood pressure.

Prescription Assistance:

Zeposia 360 Support >

For assistance finding additional resources that might help cover the costs of your prescription, contact MSAA.

Hear from the Expert
Léorah Freeman, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurology and Diagnostic Medicine
Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin
Léorah Freeman, MD, PhD
“It’s important for me to understand [patient] preferences, lifestyle, and how the disease modifying therapy that we choose together may fit into their lives.”

DRUGMAKER

Bristol Myers Squibb

HOW Zeposia® WORKS

Zeposia® (ozanimod) is a S1P receptor modulator, which works by blocking the S1P receptor on activated lymphocytes.This keeps these immune cells from moving out of the lymph nodes and into the central nervous system. By trapping the activated cells, it prevents damage to the brain and spinal cord.

FDA-Approved

FDA approved in 2020 to treat relapsing forms of MS, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary-progressive disease, in adults.

Potential Side Effects

Upper respiratory infection, elevated liver enzymes, orthostatic hypotension (sudden drop in blood pressure when shifting position), urinary tract infection (UTI), back pain, and high blood pressure. Less common adverse events include an increased risk of infections, heart rhythm issues, liver injury, decline in pulmonary (respiratory) function, and macular edema (swelling behind the eye), and potentially increased risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare brain infection that usually leads to death or severe disability over a period of weeks or months.

OTHER KEY INFORMATION

Testing completed prior to starting Zeposia® includes:

  • Your healthcare provider may order a blood test of your white blood cells and liver function before you start taking Zeposia
  • Your healthcare provider may also order a blood test for the chickenpox virus before starting Zeposia
  • An EKG will be performed to make sure you do not have a slow, abnormal or irregular heartbeat
  • In some cases, an eye exam may be required

Regular testing completed after starting Zeposia® includes:

  • Your doctor may order lab tests of your white blood cells and liver function during your treatment to check your body’s response to Zeposia

When taking Zeposia, please note there is a titration period (starting at a smaller dose and increasing over successive weeks).

Patient advocates talk about
their treatment experience

  • Kristie Salerno Kent
    MS Advocate, Patient Advocacy Consultant
    Kristie Salerno Kent
    “I have had situations where treatments aren’t approved at first. My doctors, nurses, they go actually go to bat for me and made it happen.”
  • Azure Antoinette
    MS Advocate
    Azure Antoinette
    “I wish would have had access or agency to get seen sooner and to treat this sooner.”
  • Damian Washington
    MS Advocate
    Damian Washington
    “Nobody’s going to be looking out for your best interests better than you.”
  • Cathy Chester
    MS Advocate
    Cathy Chester
    “I think it’s really important to talk about how to age with this illness.”
  • Lauren Hutton-Work
    MS Advocate
    Lauren Hutton-Work
    “Just because you have this disease does not mean that your work life should be awkward or uncomfortable.”
  • Chernise Joseph
    MS Advocate
    Chernise Joseph
    “My first neurologist was a frontline neurologist, he wasn’t an MS specialist.”
  • Julian Gamboa
    MS Advocate
    Julian Gamboa
    “If you’re newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis remember it’s always okay to get a second opinion.”
  • Sam and Lauren Alcorn
    MS Advocates
    Sam and Lauren Alcorn
    “Our future is uncertain and we have to enjoy each other and love each other in the present.”
  • Shawn Feliciano
    MS Advocate
    Shawn Feliciano
    “I want to know what medications might work best for someone who’s Hispanic.”
  • Darlene Feigen
    MS Advocate
    Darlene Feigen
    “The sooner you get on a therapy the better it is in the long run.”
  • Birgit Bauer
    MS Advocate
    Birgit Bauer
    “At the end of the appointment you should have an answer to the most important questions.”
  • Ellen Tutton
    MS Advocate
    Ellen Tutton
    “I looked up all the different disease modifying therapies and compared them to my lifestyle.”
  • Victoria Marie Reese
    MS Advocate
    Victoria Marie Reese
    “I’m trying to show my daughter that taking care of yourself is cool.”
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Last modified: Aug 4, 2022

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