Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) approved for relapsing remitting MS

Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) has been approved by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) for people with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

The MS Trust is delighted that NICE has recommended that Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) can be prescribed in England and Wales for people with active relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) who are having relapses or have MRI evidence of MS activity.

In Scotland, Vumerity was approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) in February 2022 as a treatment for people with relapsing remitting MS.

The criteria for prescribing Vumerity in Scotland is slightly different to that in the rest of the UK. You can read more on our main information page about Vumerity. Ask your neurologist if you are unsure whether you are eligible.

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Health reviews and endorses appropriate NICE appraisals.

Vumerity is as effective as Tecfidera but has fewer stomach problems, meaning you can take it with a meal or on an empty stomach.

Vumerity (diroximel fumarate) is taken as a tablet, twice daily. You start with a low dose for the first week then increase to the full dose. This gives your body time to get used to the new treatment, reducing the risk of side effects.

Vumerity is similar to Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate). In the body, both drugs are converted to monomethyl fumarate which reduces inflammation caused by MS activity and may protect nerve cells from damage.

In clinical trials, Vumerity reduced relapse rates and the number of active lesions seen on MRI scans.

The most common side effects reported in clinical trials were gastrointestinal discomfort and flushing. People taking Vumerity experienced fewer days of gastrointestinal symptoms, took less medication for gastrointestinal symptoms and missed less work compared to Tecfidera. Participants who stopped treatment because of gastrointestinal problems was 0.8% for Vumerity and 4.8% for Tecfidera.

Other side effects included nasopharyngitis (common cold), diarrhoea and chest infections.

• Diroximel fumarate for treating relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis - NICE (PDF, 195KB)
• SMC decision on Vumerity - the guidance document for Scotland
• Vumerity (Diroximel fumarate) - our A-Z on Vumerity, how it works and who can take it
• Drug development process - find out about how new MS drugs are developed and tested
• Disease modifying drugs (DMDs) - general information about DMDs and what they do
• Compare the different disease modifying drugs (DMDs) that are available to treat multiple sclerosis (MS)