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The UK’s first prescription treatment for vomiting and nausea during pregnancy has been launched by pharmaceutical company Alliance Pharma.
The delayed release formula of doxylamine succinate 10mg/pyridoxine hydrochloride 10mg (Xonvea; Alliance Pharma), taken as a daily prescription, is indicated for the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy in women who do not respond to conservative management, such as dietary and lifestyle changes.
The drug has been shown to both relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life of women affected by nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
“We are delighted that Xonvea, a new licensed medicine for the treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), is being introduced into the UK, and will now be available to women across the country,” said Peter Butterfield, Alliance Pharma’s chief executive officer.
“We hope that Xonvea will enable many more women with NVP, whose symptoms persist despite conservative measures, to be effectively managed in a community setting.”
Currently, none of the drug treatments currently prescribed to treat nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are licensed for use in pregnant women in the UK, although antihistamines are recommended in guidelines as first-line pharmacotherapy for the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Xonvea was granted UK marketing authorisation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in July 2018. The list price in the UK is £28.50 per 20â€tablet pack (six to ten days’ supply dependant on the dose required).
