Pfizer Secures FDA Nod For Ulcerative Colitis Medication

Pfizer Inc reported last week that the US FDA has authorized etrasimod , a novel ulcerative colitis medicine that the company would commercialize under the brand name Velsipity. It is a once-daily, orally administered selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulator for individuals with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. Velsipity official recommended dose is 2 milligrams. Ulcerative colitis is a disease that produces ulcers, stomach pain, bloody feces, and incontinence. According to the firm, it affects approximately 1.25 million people in the United States, as per Pharmabiz.

The global market for inflammatory bowel illnesses is estimated to be around $20 billion, making it a profitable target for pharmaceutical companies. The medicine, marketed as Velsipity and chemically known as etrasimod, was a crucial asset in Pfizer's $6.7 billion acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals last year. Velsipity is the second sphingosine-1-phosphate medication to be approved for ulcerative colitis. Bristol Myers Squibb's Zeposia was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2021 for the treatment of individuals with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. The introduction of a new medicine for ulcerative colitis disease may provide patients with more options. Due to its chronic and unpredictable character, ulcerative colitis illness affects around 1.25 million people in the United States, and its symptoms range from urgency to abdominal discomfort and persistent diarrhea with blood and mucus, as well as beyond the physical to other parts of life.