Elagolix

Generic name: Elagolix
Brand name: Orilissa
Dosage form: oral tablet
Drug class:Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists

Medically reviewed by N. France, BPharm. Last updated on Apr 11, 2022.

What is elagolix?

Elagolix belongs to a class of drugs called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist. It is an oral tablet used to help treat pain caused by endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue that should line the uterus or womb, grows outside of the uterus forming lesions. It affects about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age.

During your menstrual cycle these lesions grow in response to rising levels of a hormone called estrogen, then they break down and shed during your period. This can cause pain throughout your cycle.

Elagolix helps to reduce the pain you experience by reducing the amount of estrogen you produce that encourages the lesions to grow. Elagolix works by binding to GnRH receptors in the pituitary gland, which suppresses luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and leads to a decrease in estrogen.

What is elagolix used for?

Elagolix is a prescription medicine used to treat moderate to severe pain associated with endometriosis. It is not known if elagolix is safe and effective in children.

Important information

Elagolix may cause serious side effects, including:

• bone loss (decreased bone mineral density).
  • While you are taking elagolix, your estrogen levels will be low. Low estrogen levels can lead to bone mineral density loss.
  • If you have bone loss on elagolix, your bone density may improve after you stop taking elagolix but complete recovery may not occur. It is unknown if these bone changes could increase your risk for broken bones as you age. For this reason, your healthcare provider may limit the length of time you take elagolix.
  • Your healthcare provider may advise you to take vitamin D and calcium supplements as part of a healthy lifestyle that promotes bone health.
  • If you have conditions or take other medicines that can cause bone loss, or if you have broken a bone with minimal or no injury, your healthcare provider may order an X-ray test called a DXA scan to check your bone mineral density.
• effects on pregnancy
  • Do not take elagolix if you are trying to become or are pregnant. It may increase the risk of early pregnancy loss.
  • If you think you are pregnant, stop taking elagolix right away and call your healthcare provider.
  • If you become pregnant while taking elagolix, you are encouraged to enroll in the Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of the pregnancy registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider or call 1-833-782-7241 to enroll in this registry.
  • elagolix may change your menstrual periods (irregular bleeding or spotting, a decrease in menstrual bleeding, or no bleeding at all), making it hard to know if you are pregnant. Watch for other signs of pregnancy such as breast tenderness, weight gain and nausea.
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