8 Things to Know About Taking Ubrogepant (Ubrelvy)

Written by Alyson Powell Key
Medically Reviewed by Murtaza Cassoobhoy, MD on March 17, 2023
4 min read

If you’re one of the estimated 39 million Americans who get migraines, you and your doctor may have talked about a prescription medication called ubrogepant (Ubrelvy). Here are eight key things you should know about taking this drug.

Doctors prescribe this medication to people living with migraine with or without aura. Migraine is a type of headache that causes throbbing pain, nausea, throwing up, and sensitivity to light or sound. You may also have an aura, or visual symptoms that happen right before a migraine. Ubrogepant is part of a class of drugs called calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonists.

Ubrogepant comes in 50- and 100-milligram tablets. You’ll take the medicine with or without food when you feel a migraine starting. If you still have migraine symptoms 2 hours after taking ubrogepant, ask your doctor if it’s OK to take a second dose. The most you can take is 200 milligrams in a 24-hour period. It’s unclear if it’s safe to treat more than eight migraines with ubrogepant in a 30-day period.

Read the package label closely and follow all directions. If something is unclear, ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. If your migraine symptoms don’t improve or get worse after taking ubrogepant, talk to your doctor.

Drowsiness and nausea are the most common side effects of ubrogepant. Dry mouth is another less common side effect.

You could have other reactions to ubrogepant. Call your doctor if you feel any unusual changes while taking the drug. If you have an allergic reaction, including face, mouth, tongue, or throat swelling, or trouble breathing, call 911 right away.

Talk to your doctor about any other medical conditions before you take ubrogepant, including:

  • Liver problems
  • Kidney problems
  • Pregnancy (or you plan to become pregnant)
  • Breastfeeding (or you plan to breastfeed)

Also, let your doctor know if you take other prescription or over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements. It’s possible they’ll need to change your dose of ubrogepant. Here’s a list of medicines and supplements to share with your doctor:

  • Barbiturates
  • Carvedilol (Coreg)
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Curcumin
  • Cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune)
  • Eltrombopag (Promacta)
  • Fluconazole (Diflucan)
  • Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
  • Quinidine (in Nuedexta)
  • Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate, Rifater)
  • St. John’s wort
  • Verapamil (Calan, Verelan, in Tarka)

Other medicines may also change how well ubrogepant works, so discuss with your doctor whether it’s OK to combine drugs. Also, tell them or your pharmacist if you’re starting a new drug. 

Talk to your doctor about eating or drinking grapefruit products while taking ubrogepant. If you drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit, don’t take a second dose of ubrogepant within 24 hours of the first dose.

If you take certain strong CYP3A4 inhibitors like clarithromycin, itraconazole, or ketoconazole, you shouldn’t also take ubrogepant. If you’re unsure whether you take these drugs, ask your doctor or pharmacist. 

Also, don’t take ubrogepant if you’re allergic to it or any of the other ingredients in the drug. You can find a full list of ingredients in the information that comes with your prescription.

Scientists studied ubrogepant’s effectiveness in two clinical trials where neither the researchers nor the study participants knew who was getting the drug. Some study participants took a non-active (placebo) drug.

Everyone who took part in the studies had a history of migraine, with and without aura. More people who took ubrogepant eased their migraine symptoms 2 hours after treatment than those who took the placebo. Their headache pain went from moderate or serious to no pain at all. And they had less nausea, light sensitivity, and sound sensitivity.

Researchers looked at the long-term safety of ubrogepant in a study of around 800 people who took the drug for up to one year. They were allowed to treat their migraines with ubrogepant up to eight times a month. Most took it at least twice a month for at least 6 months. A small percentage, 2.5%, stopped taking ubrogepant because of a side effect. Nausea was the most common side effect. 

Since it was approved, some people taking ubrogepant have also reported allergic reactions. They included anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction), shortness of breath, swelling in the face or throat, rashes, and itching.

Ubrogepant works by blocking a natural protein in your body called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Doctors and scientists believe this protein contributes to the symptoms of migraine attacks. Ubrogepant doesn’t stop migraines from happening or make you have fewer migraines.