What to Know About Voquezna for GERD
Key takeaways:
Voquezna (vonoprazan) is a medication that helps reduce stomach acid to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It’s also approved to treat Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections when taken along with an antibiotic.
Voquezna blocks the same acid pumps in the stomach as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as lansoprazole (Prevacid). And it seems to be as or more effective than PPIs for erosive GERD and H.pylori treatment. Voquezna also works faster and lasts longer than PPIs, so it may be a better option for some people.
Common Voquezna side effects include upset stomach and diarrhea. Rare but serious side effects include kidney problems and an increased risk of bone fractures. It also has drug interactions to consider. So be sure to review the risks and benefits of Voquezna with a healthcare professional.
There are ways to save on Voquezna. If you’re eligible, a manufacturer savings card can help you pay as little as $25 per month.
Table of contents
Voquezna (vonoprazan) is a new type of medication that reduces stomach acid to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Before getting started on this medication, you should know a few things about it. In this article, we’ll go over how Voquezna works, how it compares to other acid-reducing medications, and what side effects are possible.
What is Voquezna?
Voquezna helps reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. It’s approved to treat heartburn caused by GERD as well as erosive GERD (also known as erosive esophagitis). It’s also approved to treat Helicobacter pylori infection (H.pylori) when combined with other medications. H.pylori is a bacteria that raises your risk of GERD, stomach ulcers, and stomach cancer if left untreated.
Voquezna is a prescription-only medication, so you won’t be able to find it over the counter like some other acid-reducing medications.
How does Voquezna work to treat GERD?
Voquezna is a new type of medication called a potassium-competitive acid blocker (PCAB). It blocks the acid pumps within the cells lining the stomach. This reduces the amount of acid released into the stomach to prevent acid reflux. It also gives the esophagus a chance to heal if it’s been damaged by acid reflux.
How effective is Voquezna compared to PPIs such as Prilosec?
Voquezna and proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as omeprazole (Prilosec), both block the same acid pumps in your stomach. And both are effective at treating heartburn caused by GERD. But how do they compare?
In clinical studies, Voquezna was similarly effective to the PPI lansoprazole (Prevacid) for erosive GERD. But Voquezna seems to be more effective than most PPIs at healing and maintaining severe erosive GERD symptoms. Voquezna also seems to be more effective than PPIs for H.pylori treatment.
Voquezna starts working faster and lasts longer in the body than PPIs. And it seems to be effective for those who don’t get relief from a PPI. This may make Voquezna a better option than PPIs for some people.
How do you take Voquezna?
Voquezna comes as a 10 mg or 20 mg oral tablet. It should be swallowed whole — don’t chew or crush this medication. You can take it with or without food. But some people find that taking Voquezna with food helps reduce stomach upset.
Your Voquezna dosage will depend on the condition you’re treating:
For non-erosive GERD: You’ll take 10 mg of Voquezna once daily for 4 weeks.
For erosive GERD treatment: You’ll take 20 mg of Voquezna once daily for 8 weeks.
For erosive GERD maintenance: You’ll take 10 mg of Voquezna once daily for up to 6 months.
For H.Pylori infection (dual therapy): You’ll take 20 mg of Voquezna twice a day (12 hours apart) for 14 days. You’ll also take 1,000 mg of amoxicillin 3 times daily for 14 days.
For H.Pylori infection (triple therapy): You’ll take 20 mg of Voquezna twice a day for 14 days. You’ll also take 1,000 mg of amoxicillin and 500 mg of clarithromycin twice a day for 14 days.
Erosive esophagitis diet: Learn which foods to avoid and how to make eating easier.
Fast relief from acid reflux: Follow these tips to help relieve heartburn symptoms quickly.
What does heartburn feel like? Read these first-hand accounts of heartburn symptoms to help you recognize them if they happen to you.
If you have liver or kidney problems, your prescriber may recommend a lower Voquezna dosage. Be sure to follow their instructions for taking Voquezna.
What are the known side effects of Voquezna?
As with all medications, Voquezna may cause some side effects. Common Voquezna side effects include:
Upset stomach
Diarrhea
Bloating
Stomach pain
Increased blood pressure
Some rare but serious side effects can also occur when taking Voquezna. These include:
Severe kidney problems
Higher risk of bone fractures
Low blood cell counts
Keep in mind this isn’t a complete list of all possible Voquezna side effects. Your prescriber can review the risks and benefits of this medication to help you know what to expect when taking it and make sure it’s a safe option for you.
Who shouldn’t take Voquezna?
Voquezna is considered a safe and effective medication for most adults. But it isn’t recommended if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. And Voquezna also isn’t recommended for H.pylori treatment in those with severe liver or kidney problems.
Voquezna can also interact with other medications, in particular certain antiviral medications that treat HIV. And since it reduces stomach acid, it can lower the levels of medications that need stomach acid in order for the body to absorb them. So be sure to show your current medication list to your healthcare team to make sure Voquezna won’t interfere with your medications.
How to save on Voquezna
There are ways to save on Voquezna, which is only available as a brand-name medication. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $25 for Voquezna using a savings card from the manufacturer.
The bottom line
Voquezna (vonoprazan) is a new medication that reduces stomach acid to treat heartburn and erosive esophagitis caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It’s also combined with antibiotics to treat Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. For heartburn, you’ll take Voquenza once a day for 4 weeks. For erosive GERD, you’ll take Voquezna once a day for up to 6 months. For H.pylori, you’ll take Voquezna twice a day for 14 days along with one or two antibiotics.
Voquezna blocks the same acid pumps in the stomach as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). But Voquezna works faster and lasts longer in the body than PPIs. In studies, it’s also as effective or more effective than PPIs for treating erosive GERD and H.pylori. Common Voquezna side effects include upset stomach and diarrhea. Your healthcare team can help decide if Voquezna is a safe option for you.
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References
Azer, S. A., et al. (2024). Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). StatPearls.
HIV.gov. (2023). FDA-approved HIV medicines.
Lahner, E., et al. (2009). Systematic review: Impaired drug absorption related to the co‐administration of antisecretory therapy. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Laine, L., et al. (2023). Vonoprazan versus lansoprazole for healing and maintenance of healing of erosive esophagitis: A randomized trial. Gastroenterology.
Maruyama, M., et al. (2017). Vonoprazan-based regimen is more useful than PPI-based one as a first-line helicobacter pylori eradication: A randomized controlled trial. Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Miyazaki, H., et al. (2019). Vonoprazan versus proton-pump inhibitors for healing gastroesophageal reflux disease: A systematic review. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Phathom Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2024). Voquenza- vonoprazan fumarate tablet [package insert].
Phathom Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2023). Phathom Pharmaceuticals announces FDA approval of Voquenza (vonoprazan) tablets for the treatment of erosive GERD and relief of heartburn associated with erosive GERD in adults.
Simadibrata, D. M., et al. (2024). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of vonoprazan for proton pump inhibitor-resistant gastroesophageal reflux disease. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Wong, N., et al. (2022). Potassium-competitive acid blockers: Present and potential utility in the armamentarium for acid peptic disorders. Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
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