What is Omvoh prescribed for?
Omvoh is prescribed for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis in adults.
What is Omvoh and what does it do?
Omvoh, pronounced ahm-VOH, (generic name: mirikizumab-mrkz) is a medication recently approved to treat adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition characterized by inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the large intestine.
This drug is aimed at reducing inflammation and improving the symptoms associated with the disease.
How does Omvoh work?
Omvoh functions by targeting a protein in the immune system called interleukin-23 (IL-23). This protein plays a key role in the inflammation process.
By blocking IL-23, Omvoh helps reduce the immune system’s overactivity, leading to decreased inflammation and relief from symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
What did the research discover?
Clinical studies of Omvoh involved patients with ulcerative colitis who showed improvement when treated with the drug.
For instance, after 12 weeks of treatment, a significant number of patients achieved clinical remission, meaning their symptoms were greatly reduced or disappeared.
Specifically, 24% of patients treated with Omvoh reached clinical remission, compared to only 15% who received a placebo—a noticeable improvement.
What are some of the side effects?
The side effects listed are from the product manufacturer. As health scientists, we share this information to keep you informed without causing undue worry. Many side effects diminish over time, and not all patients experience them. If prescribed medication, take it as directed and consult your healthcare professional if you have any concerning side effects.
- Upper respiratory tract infections
- Arthralgia (joint pain)
- Injection site reactions (redness or irritation at the injection site)
- Rash
- Headache
- Herpes viral infection
What are the dosage recommendations and how is it prescribed?
The initial treatment with Omvoh involves an induction dosage of 300 mg administered through intravenous infusion over at least 30 minutes at Weeks 0, 4, and 8.
After this period, the maintenance dosage is 200 mg given by subcutaneous injection every four weeks, starting at Week 12.
This maintenance dose is administered as two consecutive injections of 100 mg each.
Source:
Highlights of Prescribing Information for Omvoh. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/761279s000lbl.pdf. Accessed 18 July 2024.
