Entyvio (vedolizumab) has potential interactions with other medications and certain vaccines. These interactions could affect how well the drug works or cause harmful effects.
Entyvio is used in adults to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease with active symptoms.
Entyvio is a biologic medication, which means it’s made from parts of living organisms. It’s only available as a brand-name drug. It isn’t available in a biosimilar form. (Biosimilars are like generic drugs. But unlike generics, which are made for nonbiologic drugs, biosimilars are made for biologics.)
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions. Keep reading to learn about Entyvio’s possible interactions. For a detailed overview of this drug, check out this in-depth Entyvio article.
Before starting Entyvio, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.
To learn whether Entyvio interacts with herbs, vitamins, or supplements, see the “Are there other interactions with Entyvio?” section.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
The following table lists drugs that may interact with Entyvio. Keep in mind this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Entyvio. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples | What can happen |
|---|---|---|
| tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers | • adalimumab (Humira) and its biosimilars, such as adalimumab-adaz (Hyrimoz) • etanercept (Enbrel) and its biosimilars, such as etanercept-szzs (Erelzi) | can increase the risk of infection as a side effect of Entyvio or TNF blockers |
| natalizumab and its biosimilars | • natalizumab (Tysabri) • natalizumab-sztn (Tyruko) | can increase the risk of infection as a side effect of Entyvio or natalizumab |
| immunosuppressants | • sirolimus (Rapamune) • tacrolimus (Prograf) | can increase the risk of infection as a side effect of Entyvio or the immunosuppressant |
| corticosteroids | • prednisone • dexamethasone | can increase the risk of infection as a side effect of Entyvio or the corticosteroid |
| CYP450 substrates | • certain statins, such as lovastatin (Altoprev) or simvastatin (Zocor) • selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as sertraline (Zoloft) and citalopram (Celexa) | can make CYP450 substrates less effective when starting Entyvio and can increase the effect of CYP450 substrates after stopping Entyvio |
Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm with Entyvio. These are known as contraindications. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Entyvio for you. This drug has one contraindication, which is a previous allergic reaction.
If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Entyvio or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe it for you. Ask them about other treatments that may be better options.
Entyvio is not known to interact with alcohol. But alcohol can worsen symptoms of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, the conditions Entyvio is prescribed to treat.
Entyvio and alcohol can cause some similar side effects, like headache and nausea. If you drink alcohol, you may be more likely to experience these side effects if you drink it during Entyvio treatment.
If you have questions about consuming alcohol during Entyvio treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Entyvio.
Interaction with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers
Entyvio interacts with TNF blockers, which are prescribed to treat conditions related to excessive inflammation, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and psoriasis.
Both Entyvio and TNF blockers increase the risk of infection as a side effect, including the risk of a rare but serious infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Using Entyvio and a TNF blocker together further increases your risk of infection, including your risk of PML.
Here are some TNF blockers that may interact with Entyvio:
- adalimumab (Humira) and its biosimilars, such as adalimumab-adaz (Hyrimoz)
- etanercept (Enbrel) and its biosimilars, such as etanercept-szzs (Erelzi)
- infliximab (Remicade) and its biosimilars, such as infliximab-dyyb (Inflectra)
- golimumab (Simponi and Simponi Aria)
- certolizumab pegol (Cimzia)
What you can do
Due to the risk of infection, using Entyvio with a TNF blocker is not recommended. Your doctor is unlikely to prescribe them together and can review alternatives to either or both medications with you.
If you have questions about Entyvio and how it interacts with TNF blockers, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Interaction with natalizumab and its biosimilars
Entyvio interacts with natalizumab (Tysabri) and its biosimilars, which are prescribed to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and moderate to severe Crohn’s disease.
Both Entyvio and natalizumab increase the risk of infection as a side effect, including the risk of a rare but serious infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Using Entyvio and natalizumab together further increases your risk of infection, including your risk of PML.
A biosimilar is like a generic for a brand-name medication. But unlike generics, biosimilars aren’t exact copies of the brand-name parent biologic drug. Biologic drugs are made using living cells, and it isn’t possible to make an exact copy of them.
Currently, natalizumab has one biosimilar called natalizumab-sztn (Tyruko). Other biosimilars for natalizumab may be approved in the future.
What you can do
Due to the risk of infection, using Entyvio with natalizumab or its biosimilars isn’t recommended, and your doctor is unlikely to prescribe them together. They can review alternatives to natalizumab or Entyvio for treating your condition.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about this interaction.
Interaction with corticosteroids
Entyvio interacts with corticosteroids, which are prescribed for numerous conditions, including MS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and gout.
Entyvio and corticosteroids both lower activity in your immune system. This helps treat symptoms of certain conditions like IBD, but it also increases your risk of infection. Taking Entyvio and a corticosteroid together further increases this risk.
Here are some corticosteroids that may interact with Entyvio:
- budesonide (Uceris, others)
- dexamethasone (Hemady)
- hydrocortisone (Cortef)
- methylprednisolone (Medrol)
- prednisone
What you can do
If you use Entyvio with a corticosteroid, your doctor may prescribe a dosage of the corticosteroid that’s lower than usual. You should not take a higher dose of either medication than your doctor prescribes.
If you take Entyvio and a corticosteroid together, tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of an infection. These may include fever or chills, muscle aches, and cough.
If you have questions about taking Entyvio with a corticosteroid, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Entyvio may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests.
Here are additional interactions that may occur with Entyvio. Note that this is not a full list of all other possible interactions with Entyvio.
Does Entyvio interact with supplements?
Before starting Entyvio treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs, vitamins, or supplements you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.
If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Entyvio interactions with herbs
There are currently no reports of Entyvio interacting with herbs. But this doesn’t mean that interactions with herbs won’t be recognized in the future. For this reason, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while using Entyvio.
Entyvio interactions with vitamins
There are currently no reports of Entyvio interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future. For this reason, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while using Entyvio.
Does Entyvio interact with food?
There are currently no reports of Entyvio interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods during your treatment with Entyvio, talk with your doctor.
Does Entyvio interact with vaccines?
Your doctor may advise you to not receive live vaccines during Entyvio treatment unless you both agree the benefits outweigh the risks.
Live vaccines contain weakened versions of the bacteria or virus they’re meant to protect against. This means getting a live vaccine while you’re using Entyvio may increase your risk of infection.
Examples of live vaccines include those for chickenpox, rotavirus, and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).
Before you begin treatment with Entyvio, your doctor will likely discuss any vaccines you may need to receive first. If you need to receive a vaccine during treatment with Entyvio, talk with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe.
Does Entyvio interact with lab tests?
There are currently no reports of Entyvio interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about having certain lab tests during your treatment with Entyvio, talk with the healthcare professional ordering the test.
Does Entyvio interact with cannabis or CBD?There are currently no reports of Entyvio interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Entyvio.
Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may increase the risk of interactions with Entyvio. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Entyvio is right for you.
Health conditions or other factors that may interact with this medication include:
Liver problems: Entyvio’s side effects include liver problems. If you have an existing liver condition such as cirrhosis, using Entyvio may worsen it. Your doctor can determine whether Entyvio is safe for you based on your specific liver condition. If they prescribe this drug for you, they may frequently order tests to check your liver enzyme levels.
Tuberculosis or other infection: Let your doctor know if you have a current infection, especially tuberculosis, before starting Entyvio. Your doctor may want to treat the infection first. Entyvio lowers activity in your immune system, which can make it harder to treat an infection.
Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Entyvio treatment is safe during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or may become pregnant, talk with your doctor before starting this medication.
Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether Entyvio treatment is safe while breastfeeding. The drug passes into breast milk, but it isn’t known whether it causes side effects in a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk with your doctor about your options.
Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Entyvio or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe this medication for you. Ask them about other treatments that may be better options.
Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Entyvio. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:
- whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis
- the
list of medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs - what to do if you start taking a new drug during treatment with Entyvio
- your vaccination history and any scheduled vaccines, especially live vaccines
It’s also important to understand Entyvio’s
If you did not get paperwork with Entyvio, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you. If you have difficulty reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.
Using Entyvio exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.