When will a Trintellix generic be available?

In this article:

• Is there a generic for Trintellix?
• How much is generic Trintellix?
• What are the off-label uses for Trintellix?
• How to switch from Trintellix to an alternative
• Long-term use of Trintellix

In this article

• Is there a generic for Trintellix?
• How much is generic Trintellix?
• What are the off-label uses for Trintellix?
• How to switch from Trintellix to an alternative
• Long-term use of Trintellix

The FDA first approved vortioxetine to treat major depressive disorder in 2013. The drug’s manufacturer (Takeda) originally marketed it as Brintellix, but changed the name to Trintellix in 2016. People who are assessing their options might wonder if Trintellix has a generic version or other alternatives—and we’ve got all the important information below. 

Is there a generic for Trintellix?

Currently, there is no generic version of Trintellix on the market. That’s largely because it’s still patent-protected. However, Trintellix’s patent expires in June 2026, and a generic may emerge after that. 

“When a patent expires, this allows generic manufacturers to create the generic drug by using an abbreviated approval process,” says Dr. Tiffany Khieu, PharmD, an assistant professor at Marshall B. Ketchum University. However, it likely won’t be right after the expiration date. A study on generic drugs in Canada showed that the average time to bring a generic to market after patent expiration is around 1.5 years. That might differ slightly in the US, but even when the Trintellix patent ends in 2026, its generic probably won’t debut until 2027 or later. 

What are the differences between brand name and generic drugs?

Per the Food and Drug Administration, around nine out of every ten prescriptions filled in the US are for generic drugs. What makes them so popular? 

The big draw for generics is that they’re often less expensive. A large chunk of any drug’s cost comes from the research and testing required to prove that it works and is safe for consumers. Generic drugs require much less testing, since their reference product already proved its safety and efficacy, so they typically cost 80–85% less than their brand-name counterparts. 

Everything else is pretty much identical. The FDA requires that generic drugs have the exact same active ingredient, strength, dosage form (tablet, liquid, etc.), and route of administration (oral, topical, injectable, etc.) as the brand-name medication. So when a generic version of Trintellix comes out, it will work exactly the same way as Trintellix. “Besides increasing serotonin levels (as all SSRIs do), Trintellix also acts directly on serotonin receptors, like the 5HT1A/B—which may improve cognition,” says Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine. “It also blocks 5HT3 serotonin receptors, which may help with nausea and also add benefits to mood.”

Studies like this one from 2019—which assessed medications for blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, and psychiatric conditions—show that generic medicines can deliver very similar outcomes to brand-name drugs. “If differences do exist, it is seen in the excipients, also known as the non-active ingredients,” Dr. Khieu says, which includes things like dyes, fillers, or coatings. 

So an eventual generic for Trintellix will likely produce many of the same mood-boosting effects as its brand-name reference. 

How much is generic Trintellix?

As we mentioned above, generic alternatives are typically much more affordable than brand-name drugs. Like many of its branded peers, Trintellix’s price can seem intimidating for anyone paying completely out of pocket. On average, it costs $660 for 30, 20 mg tablets—typically a 30-day supply. 

Trintellix is often covered by health insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid when the doctor deems it medically necessary, so not everyone will have to pay that price. Due to its brand-name status, the drug could require a significant copay if it is covered on the insurance plan’s formulary. Either way, a generic for Trintellix will probably be cheaper, whenever it comes out. Until then, there are other ways to save on Trintellix, whether or not you have insurance coverage. 

What are the off-label uses for Trintellix?

While Trintellix is only officially approved to treat depression, sometimes a healthcare provider might prescribe it for other psychiatric medical conditions. “As an antidepressant, Trintellix has anxiolytic effects due to inhibition of the serotonin (5-HT) transporter (SERT) and modulation of various serotonin receptor subtypes,” says Dr. Khieu. So some doctors prescribe it off-label for anxiety as well.

In fact, a 2018 meta-analysis concluded that vortioxetine is a viable treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, and a topic review from 2020 reported that it could be a useful treatment for OCD as well. However, it might not always be the best option for these cases. “Generally speaking, vortioxetine is less beneficial for anxiety, and as good an antidepressant as the traditional ones, like Lexapro and Prozac, with possibly fewer side effects,” Dr. Dimitriu says. 

How to switch from Trintellix to an alternative

Maybe Trintellix doesn’t fit with your budget. Maybe it’s causing some unwanted side effects. Or maybe it’s simply not working as well as you’d hoped. Every person responds differently, and for some, another medication might be more helpful. Fortunately, there are several alternatives for people with depression. 

Perhaps the most common are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac and Zoloft. However, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, atypical antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and other serotonin modulators might also work well. Some of these drugs have generic options that come much cheaper than Trintellix and other brand-name antidepressants.

“For anyone looking to switch off this medication, it should be done under medical supervision, and it should be done gradually, slowly lowering the dose of the vortioxetine while adding in the new agent to replace it,” Dr. Dimitriu says. “I always advise my patients to keep good notes on how they felt on a medication before we start lowering it, so they can compare to the outcome once the change is made.”

People who stop taking it abruptly can experience withdrawal—also known as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Withdrawal symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, unusual dreams, tremors, trouble sleeping, paresthesia (“pins and needles” on the skin), fatigue, constipation, headaches, weight gain or loss, sexual dysfunction, and mood swings. Research suggests that around 20% of people who go cold turkey with their antidepressants experience this condition. 

A healthcare provider can come up with a plan to slowly ease you off Trintellix, or offer medical advice on other medications that might fit your needs. It’s crucial to follow the physician’s dosage directions and only take antidepressants that have been prescribed to you. 

Long-term use of Trintellix 

Depression isn’t like a virus—it doesn’t last a few days then go away. So treatment for depression is usually long-term, and that may include Trintellix. In its clinical trials, patients who took it for 48 weeks had a lower risk of depressive episodes than those who took Trintellix for only 16 weeks and then took a placebo for 32 weeks. A 52-week study published in 2023 found that patients taking vortioxetine showed continued improvements over the entire year. 

Common side effects of Trintellix may include nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, dizziness, constipation, diarrhea, flatulence, abnormal dreams, and sexual dysfunction. In rare cases, it can cause serious side effects like serotonin syndrome (elevated levels of serotonin), suicidal thoughts, bleeding problems, allergic reactions, and worsened manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder. However, per Dr. Dimitriu, “vortioxetine may have slightly less weight gain, and possibly fewer sexual side effects than other SSRIs.”

Not everyone experiences adverse effects, so Trintellix—and eventually generic vortioxetine—are a safe and reliable maintenance treatment for many people with major depressive disorder.