Indication

ZELTASIA is indicated for the treatment of adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

For adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) For US Audiences Only
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About MS SYMPTOMS
& treatment

Multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms are hard to predict. Not everyone has the same symptoms, and a person’s symptoms can change over time.

A better understanding of how these symptoms can start, and how disease modifying therapies (DMTs) are used to treat MS, may bring you closer to finding the help you need.

A closer look at MS

MS causes the body’s immune system to attack the central nervous system (CNS) which consists of the brain, the optic nerve, and the spinal cord.

When MS attacks happen, CNS tissue
is damaged and lesions can occur:

  • Lesions disrupt the CNS and keep the brain from sending signals to the rest of the body
  • These “signal breakdowns” can lead to MS symptoms

Nerve cell

The nerves within the CNS are covered by a protective coating called myelin.

MS attack

MS attacks the myelin, causing damage that can prevent the CNS from functioning like it should.

MS symptoms

MS can lead to both physical and cognitive symptoms.
And they can be different for everyone.

  • Physical symptoms can include:

    • Numbness and tingling (in the face, feet, legs, and arms)
    • Trouble walking and balance issues
    • MS fatigue (in about 80% of people with MS)
    • Impaired vision (blurry or even trouble seeing colors)
    • Bowel and bladder problems

  • Cognitive symptoms
    can include:

    • Trouble processing information
    • Worsening of memory
    • Problems with attention or concentration
    • Challenges with planning and prioritization
    • Difficulty thinking of the right word

Ways to manage MS

One of the ways to help treat MS is with a type of medication called a disease modifying therapy (or DMT). DMTs may have an impact on the natural progression of MS. Making healthy lifestyle choices is another way to help manage MS.

DMTs have been shown to:

  • Reduce the number of MS attacks or relapses
  • Help prevent the development of new lesions
  • Impact the progression of MS

How should DMTs be used?
According to The Use of Disease-Modifying Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis, when using a DMT it is important to:

  • Begin treatment as soon as possible after being diagnosed, since MS is a progressive disease that can get worse over time
  • Maintain ongoing treatment unless otherwise directed by your MS healthcare team. Gaps in treatment can be associated with increased relapses and disability progression over time

To manage symptoms, look beyond DMTs
DMTs are not meant for managing MS symptoms day to day. They are meant to impact the progression of MS. For managing symptoms, talk to your MS healthcare team about medications that can help

Lifestyle choices can help, too
Making healthy lifestyle choices such as staying active, getting enough sleep, and eating right can help with MS. To learn more, visit CanDo-MS.org

Other areas to explore:

  • Support Program

    Our support program is with you every step of the way with a dedicated MS Nurse Navigator, financial and insurance assistance, and more.

    How we can help

  • Is ZELTASIA effective?

    See how it performed vs a leading injectable medicine (Avonex)* in two separate clinical studies.

    See study results

    *Avonex (interferon beta-1a).

The information on this page comes from sources that include:

  • Brain health: time matters in multiple sclerosis
    Giovannoni G, Butzkueven H, Dhib-Jalbut S, et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2016;9(Suppl 1):S5-S48.
  • Cognitive changes
    National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
    https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Cognitive-Changes. Accessed February 7, 2020.
  • Disease-modifying therapies for MS
    National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
    https://www.nationalmssociety.org/NationalMSSociety/media/MSNationalFiles/Brochures/Brochure-The-MS-Disease-Modifying-Medications.pdf. Updated November 2019. Accessed February 7, 2020.
  • Managing relapses
    National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
    https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Treating-MS/Managing-Relapses. Accessed February 7, 2020.
  • MS symptoms
    National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
    https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms. Accessed February 7, 2020.
  • Practice guideline recommendations summary: Disease-modifying therapies for adults with multiple sclerosis
    Rae-Grant A, Day GS, Marrie RA, et al. Neurology. 2018;90(17):777-788.
  • The use of disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis: principles and current evidence. A consensus paper by the Multiple Sclerosis Coalition
    Costello K, Kalb R. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/getmedia/5ca284d3-fc7c-4ba5-b005-ab537d495c3c/DMT_Consensus_MS_Coalition_color. Updated September 2019. Accessed February 7, 2020.

Do not start ZELTASIA if you:

  • Have had a heart attack, chest pain (also known as unstable angina), stroke or mini-stroke (also known as transient ischemic attack or TIA) or certain types of heart failure in the last 6 months
  • Have a history or presence of certain types of irregular or abnormal heartbeat (also known as arrhythmia) that is not corrected by a pacemaker
  • Have severe breathing problems during your sleep (also known as sleep apnea)
  • Are allergic to litifimod or any of the ingredients in ZELTASIA

ZELTASIA may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Slow heart rate (also known as bradycardia) when you start taking ZELTASIA. ZELTASIA can cause your heart rate to temporarily slow down, especially after you take your initial dose. Slow heart rate may occur if you restart ZELTASIA after missing more than 14 consecutive days of treatment. Prior to restarting ZELTASIA, please consult with your physician as you will need a new 7-day starter pack to minimize the risk of heart rate reductions.
    Call your healthcare provider if you experience the following symptoms of slow heart rate such as:
    • Dizziness
    • Shortness of breath
    • Lightheadedness
    • Confusion
    • Feeling like your heart is beating slowly or skipping beats
    • Chest pain
  • Infections. ZELTASIA can increase the risk of infections. You should not receive live vaccines during treatment with ZELTASIA and for 3 months after you stop taking ZELTASIA. Vaccines may not work as well when given during treatment with ZELTASIA. ZELTASIA lowers the number of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) and this may lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. This will usually go back to normal within 3 months of stopping treatment. Your health care provider should review a recent blood test of your white blood cells before you start taking ZELTASIA.
    Call your health care provider right away if you have any of these symptoms of an infection during treatment with ZELTASIA and for 3 months after your last dose of ZELTASIA:
    • Fever
    • Cough
    • Feeling very tired
    • Urinary discomfort
    • Flu-like symptoms
    • Rash
  • Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Although no cases have been seen in patients in clinical trials with ZELTASIA, PML may occur. PML is a rare brain infection that may lead to death or severe disability. If PML happens, it usually happens in people with weakened immune systems but has happened in people who do not have weakened immune systems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you experience any new or worsening symptoms of PML such as:
    • Weakness on one side of the body
    • Changes in vision
    • Changes in thinking or memory
    • Confusion
    • Personality changes
  • A problem with your vision called macular edema. Macular edema can cause some of the same vision symptoms as a multiple sclerosis (MS) attack (also known as “optic neuritis”). Tell your healthcare provider any time you notice vision changes during treatment with ZELTASIA. Your risk of macular edema is higher if you have diabetes or have had an inflammation of your eye called uveitis. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:
    • Blurriness or shadows in the center of your vision
    • A blind spot in the center of your vision
    • Sensitivity to light
    • Unusually colored vision

Before taking ZELTASIA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • Have liver problems
  • Have a slow heart rate
  • Have a fever or infection
  • Are unable to fight infections due to a disease, or you take or have taken medicines that lower your immune system
  • Have received a vaccine in the past 30 days or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. ZELTASIA may cause vaccines to be less effective
  • Have macular edema or have risk factors for macular edema such as uveitis which is a type of (an inflammation of the eye) or diabetes
  • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
    • If you are a female who can become pregnant, you should use effective birth control during your treatment with ZELTASIA and for at least 3 months after you stop taking ZELTASIA
  • Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
    • It is not known if ZELTASIA passes into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take ZELTASIA, are breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take or have recently taken, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take or have taken medicines that affect your immune system, including corticosteroids, or other treatments for multiple sclerosis. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

ZELTASIA cause possible side effects, including:

  • Swelling and narrowing of the blood vessels in your brain. A condition called PRES (Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome) has happened rarely in adults taking ZELTASIA. It is not known if ZELTASIA caused this. ZELTASIA should be stopped if this condition occurs. PRES will usually get better. However, if left untreated, it may lead to a stroke. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms:
    • Sudden severe headache
    • Sudden confusion
    • Sudden loss of vision or other changes in your vision
  • Increased blood pressure. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure during treatment with ZELTASIA
  • Fetal risk. It is not known if ZELTASIA can cause abnormalities of the fetus. You should use effective birth control during your treatment with ZELTASIA and for at least 3 months after you stop taking ZELTASIA. Call your healthcare provider if you think you may be pregnant [See “What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ZELTASIA?”]
  • Allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of an allergic reaction, including a rash, itchy hives, or swelling of the lips, tongue or face

The most common side effects of ZELTASIA can include:

  • Colds and sore throat
  • Abnormal liver tests
  • Urinary tract infections
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Upper respiratory tract infections

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all of the possible side effects of ZELTASIA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information (Medication Guide)