Miglustat 100mg capsules
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
Miglustat, commonly marketed under the trade name Zavesca, is a drug used to treat Gaucher disease.
Official documents, adverse reaction reporting, and safety monitoring
Report a side effect
Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Official medicine documents
Yellow Card
Report side effects (MHRA)
Drug safety updates
MHRA alerts for Miglustat
Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
View Drug Analysis Profile
Suspected adverse reactions reported for Miglustat
Browse all iDAP reports
Interactive Drug Analysis Profiles for all medicines
Report a side effect
Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) collects suspected adverse reaction reports from across the EU/EEA through the EudraVigilance system. Search for safety data on this medicine.
View EudraVigilance report
Suspected adverse reactions reported for Miglustat
About EudraVigilance
Learn about EU pharmacovigilance and safety monitoring
EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
6 branded products available
MHRA licensed products
View all licensed products for Miglustat on the MHRA register
Yargesa 100mg capsules
Zavesca 100mg capsules
Miglustat 100mg capsules
Miglustat 100mg capsules
Miglustat 100mg capsules
Miglustat 100mg capsules
WHO defined daily dose (DDD)
300 mg
Not a recommended dose. The DDD is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication in adults. It is a statistical measure used for research and comparison purposes only.
Source: WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, distributed via the NHS dm+d supplementary mapping files (NHSBSA). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity is based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and on a factual NHS dm+d therapeutic-grouping code prefix. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
NICE clinical guidance(1)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check stock at pharmacies and supply information
Pharmacy stock checkers
Search for this medicine at major UK pharmacy chains. These links open the retailer's own website — results depend on their current online catalogue.
Supply & safety information
Official UK regulator monitoring and safety alerts
Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. Shortage and safety information sourced from MHRA drug safety updates (gov.uk, Crown Copyright under OGL v3.0).
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Academic studies and reviews for this medicine's active substance
Showing the 50 most relevant studies.
Reviews & meta-analyses: 11 · Randomised trials: 4 · 2007–2026
Showing the 50 most relevant studies, sorted by most relevant.
Mercè Pineda, Mark Walterfang, Marc C. Patterson
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 2018
ObjectiveNiemann-Pick disease type C (NP-C) is a rare, autosomal recessive, neurodegenerative disease associated with a wide variety of progressive neurological manifestations. Miglustat is indicated for the treatment of progressive neurological manifestations in both adults and children. Since approval in 2009 there has been a vast growth in clinical experience with miglustat. The effectiveness of miglustat has been assessed using a range of measures.MethodsComprehensive review of published data from studies of cellular neuropathological markers and structural neurological indices in the brain, clinical impairment/disability, specific clinical neurological manifestations, and patient survival.ResultsCranial diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies have shown reduced levels of choline (a neurodegeneration marker), and choline/N-acetyl aspartate ratio (indicating increased neuronal viability) in the brain during up to 5 years of miglustat therapy, as well as a slowing of reductions in fractional anisotropy (an axonal/myelin integrity marker). A 2-year immunoassay study showed significant reductions in CSF-calbindin during treatment, indicating reduced cerebellar Purkinje cell loss. Magnetic resonance imaging studies have demonstrated a protective effect of miglustat on cerebellar and subcortical structure that correlated with clinical symptom severity. Numerous cohort studies assessing core neurological manifestations (impaired ambulation, manipulation, speech, swallowing, other) using NP-C disability scales indicate neurological stabilization over 2–8 years, with a trend for greater benefits in patients with older (non-infantile) age at neurological onset. A randomized controlled trial and several cohort studies have reported improvements or stabilization of saccadic eye movements during 1–5 years of therapy. Swallowing was also shown to improve/remain stable during the randomized trial (up to 2 years), as well as in long-term observational cohorts (up to 6 years). A meta-analysis of dysphagia – a potent risk factor for aspiration pneumonia and premature death in NP-C – demonstrated a survival benefit with miglustat due to improved/stabilized swallowing function.ConclusionsThe effects of miglustat on neurological NP-C manifestations has been assessed using a range of approaches, with benefits ranging from cellular changes in the brain through to visible clinical improvements and improved survival.
Abstract licence: CC BY 4.0
Shohet S, Hummel N, Fu S, et al.
2024
- Glycogen Storage Disease Type II
- 1-Deoxynojirimycin
- Enzyme Replacement Therapy
Aim: Late-onset Pompe disease is characterized by progressive loss of muscular and respiratory function. Until recently, standard of care was enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with alglucosidase alfa. Second-generation ERTs avalglucosidase alfa (aval) and cipaglucosidase alfa with miglustat (cipa+mig) are now available. Without head-to-head trials comparing aval with cipa+mig, an indirect treatment comparison is informative and timely for understanding potential clinical differentiation. Materials & methods: A systematic literature review was performed to identify relevant studies on cipa+mig and aval. Using patient-level and aggregate published data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and phase I/II and open-label extension (OLE) trials, a multi-level network meta-regression was conducted, adjusting for various baseline covariates, including previous ERT duration, to obtain relative effect estimates on 6-minute walk distance (6MWD, meters [m]) and forced vital capacity (FVC, % predicted [pp]). Analyses of two networks were conducted: Network A, including only RCTs, and network B, additionally including single-arm OLE and phase I/II studies. Results: Network B (full evidence analysis) showed that cipa+mig was associated with a relative increase in 6MWD (mean difference 28.93 m, 95% credible interval [8.26-50.11 m]; Bayesian probability 99.7%) and FVC (2.88 pp [1.07-4.71 pp]; >99.9%) compared with aval. The comparison between cipa+mig and aval became more favorable for cipa+mig with increasing previous ERT duration for both end points. Analysis of network A showed that cipa+mig was associated with a relative decrease in 6MWD (-10.02 m [-23.62 to 4.00 m]; 91.8%) and FVC (-1.45 pp [-3.01 to 0.07 pp]; 96.8%) compared with aval. Conclusion: Cipa+mig showed a favorable effect versus aval when all available evidence was used in the analysis.
Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-ND
Shuai Fu, Noemi Hummel, Simon Shohet, et al.
Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research, 2026
- Glycogen Storage Disease Type II
- 1-Deoxynojirimycin
- alpha-Glucosidases
Aim: Treatment options for late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) include enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with alglucosidase alfa (alg), cipaglucosidase alfa plus miglustat (cipa + mig) and avalglucosidase alfa. However, only one randomized controlled trial (RCT) directly compared cipa + mig and alg and had relatively few ERT-naive patients. A multilevel network meta-regression (ML-NMR) integrated individual patient data and aggregate data into indirect treatment comparisons, with relative effects adjusted to any target population, to compare the efficacy of cipa + mig and alg. Materials & methods: A Bayesian ML-NMR was conducted to compare the efficacy of cipa + mig and alg for 6-minute walk distance (6MWD, meters) and percent predicted forced vital capacity (ppFVC) across any target population, using patientlevel and aggregate data from RCTs (PROPEL, COMET, LOTS) and phase I/II and open-label extension (OLE) trials (PROPEL OLE, LOTS OLE, COMET OLE, ATB200-02, NEO-1/NEO-EXT), adjusting for baseline covariates. Relative effect estimates were obtained for 6MWD and ppFVC change from baseline to week 52. Two networks were analyzed: network A (RCTs only) and network B (RCTs and single-arm OLE and phase I/II studies matched to comparator arms). To assess the impact of prior ERT exposure, simulations were conducted by only varying ERT duration among included covariates. Results: For cipa + mig compared with alg, both networks were associated with relative increases in 6MWD (mean difference [95% credible interval], Bayesian probability for network A: 13.48 m [6.79, 19.85], >99.9%; network B: 12.59 m [7.89, 17.45], >99.9%) and ppFVC (network A: 1.63% [0.71, 2.60], >99.9%; network B: 3.17% [2.53, 3.81], >99.9%). Network B suggested cipa + mig was favorable (>99.9%) in all groups for both end points and appeared more favorable with increasing ERT duration. Conclusion: Cipa + mig was associated with an improvement in 6MWD and ppFVC relative to alg independent of prior ERT exposure, which appeared more favorable when all available evidence was used. These data could inform decision-making in treating ERT-naive and ERT-experienced patients with LOPD.
Abstract licence: CC BY
B. Schoser, M. Roberts, B. Byrne, et al.
The Lancet. Neurology, 2021
van der Beek NAME, Potters LH, Schoser B
2025
- Glycogen Storage Disease Type II
- alpha-Glucosidases
- Enzyme Replacement Therapy
Purpose of reviewTo review the clinical trial results and emerging real-world data of two new enzyme replacement therapies (ERTs) for late-onset Pompe disease and to compare these effects in the context of what has been achieved over the last two decades in advancing care for Pompe disease.Recent findingsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) of avalglucosidase alfa and cipaglucosidase alfa plus miglustat have demonstrated that both treatments are at least as efficacious as alglucosidase alfa and possess a comparable safety profile. Several post hoc analyses of the trial data have shown that these newer ERTs result in a greater percentage of patients achieving meaningful improvements and larger reductions in biomarker levels. The first real-world data on switching from alglucosidase alfa to avalglucosidase alfa has shown that the switch is safe and may alter individual disease trajectories.SummaryThe advent of two next-generation enzyme replacement therapies marks a new era in treating patients diagnosed with Pompe disease. Clinical trials and early real-world data suggest that they may be superior to alglucosidase alfa, the standard of care for the past 20 years, although head-to-head comparisons between all three treatments are lacking. More data will become available over the next 5 years, leading to better guidelines for starting, stopping and switching therapies based on a more personalized assessment of outcomes.
Abstract licence: CC BY
Mengel E, Patterson MC, Da Riol RM, et al.
2025
BackgroundIn the 12-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2/3 NPC-002 study (NCT02612129), arimoclomol significantly reduced annual disease progression versus placebo, measured by the 5-domain NPC Clinical Severity Scale (5DNPCCSS). Arimoclomol has been approved in the US for treatment of Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) in combination with miglustat. This paper introduces the rescored 4-domain NPCCSS (R4DNPCCSS) as a post-hoc primary endpoint in NPC-002, discusses its validation, and presents the results of the post-hoc primary analysis.MethodsTo more accurately assess changes in disease course over a 12-month time period in a heterogeneous group of patients, the Cognition domain was removed from the 5DNPCCSS and the Swallow domain was rescored to reflect linearity in disease progression. Rescoring of the Swallow domain was based on input from clinical NPC and swallow experts from a qualitative interview-based study (N = 12), resulting in the R4DNPCCSS. To supplement prior validation analyses, data supporting the overall validity and reliability of the R4DNPCCSS was gathered through additional analyses of construct and convergent validity. The NPC-002 prespecified primary efficacy endpoint analysis based on the 5DNPCCSS score change from baseline to 12 months was repeated with R4DNPCCSS.ResultsConstruct validity analysis demonstrated high agreement between the R4DNPCCSS domain scores and the Clinical Global Impression Scale of Severity (CGI-S) and NPC Clinical Database (NPC-cdb) scores. Convergent validity was confirmed by strong correlations between the R4DNPCCSS domains and corresponding items on the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), 9-hole peg test (9-HPT), and Video Fluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS) performance tests. The NPC-002 post-hoc primary analysis showed a mean standard error (SE) change in R4DNPCCSS score of 0.35 (0.40) with arimoclomol (N = 34) versus 2.05 (0.54) with placebo (N = 16), and a treatment effect in favor of arimoclomol over placebo of -1.70 (p = 0.0155). In the miglustat subgroup analysis, mean (SE) change in R4DNPCCSS score was -0.23 (1.02) with arimoclomol (N = 22) versus 1.92 (3.37) with placebo (N = 12), representing a treatment effect of -2.21 (p = 0.0077).ConclusionThe R4DNPCCSS is a valid and reliable measure of disease progression demonstrating consistent outcomes with the prespecified 5DNPCCSS endpoint. Arimoclomol significantly slowed disease progression through 12 months as measured by the R4DNPCCSS versus placebo.
Abstract licence: CC BY
Eugen Mengel, Adrian Quartel, Christine i Dali
Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2026
Marc C Patterson, Darleen Vecchio, Helena Prady, et al.
The Lancet Neurology, 2007
A. Zimran, D. Elstein, Greg Pastores, et al.
Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2007
Greg Pastores, D. Elstein, M. Hrebı´cek, et al.
Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, 2007
Sources: aggregated from Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI), OpenAlex, Crossref, PubMed and other open scholarly databases. Retracted articles are excluded. Study information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
None known
Half-life
6 to 7 hours
Mechanism
Miglustat functions as a competitive and reversible inhibitor of the enzyme gluc…
Food interactions
2 warnings
Human targets
1 target
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
97%
Half-life
6 to 7 hours
Protein binding
Metabolism
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
Proteins and enzymes this drug interacts with in the body
PMID:1532799 PMID:8643456
Catalyzes the transfer of glucose from UDP-glucose to ceramide to produce glucosylceramide/GlcCer (such as beta-D-glucosyl-(1<->1')-N-acylsphing-4-enine) .
PMID:1532799 PMID:8643456
GlcCer is the core component of glycosphingolipids/GSLs, amphipathic molecules consisting of a ceramide lipid moiety embedded in the outer leaflet of the membrane, linked to one of hundreds of different externally oriented oligosaccharide structures .
PMID:8643456
Glycosphingolipids are essential components of membrane microdomains that mediate membrane trafficking and signal transduction, implicated in many fundamental cellular processes, including growth, differentiation, migration, morphogenesis, cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions (By similarity). They are required for instance in the proper development and functioning of the nervous system (By similarity). As an example of their role in signal transduction, they regulate the leptin receptor/LEPR in the leptin-mediated signaling pathway (By similarity).
They also play an important role in the establishment of the skin barrier regulating keratinocyte differentiation and the proper assembly of the cornified envelope (By similarity). The biosynthesis of GSLs is also required for the proper intestinal endocytic uptake of nutritional lipids (By similarity). Catalyzes the synthesis of xylosylceramide/XylCer (such as beta-D-xylosyl-(1<->1')-N-acylsphing-4-enine) using UDP-Xyl as xylose donor PMID:33361282
ATC A16AX06
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Show
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Miglustat
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
13313
ChemSpider
46764
BindingDB
18355
PDB
NBV
ZINC
ZINC000003794711
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:12524
GenAtlas
UGCG
GeneCards
UGCG
GenBank Gene Database
D50840
GenBank Protein Database
1325917
Guide to Pharmacology
2528
UniProt Accession
CEGT_HUMAN
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite:
- DrugBank 6.02024Recommended citationKnox C., Wilson M., Klinger C.M., et alDrugBank 6.0: the DrugBank Knowledgebase for 2024Nucleic Acids Res. 2024 Jan 552(D1):D1265-D1275
- DrugBank 5.02018Wishart D.S., Feunang Y.D., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank 5.0: a major update to the DrugBank database for 2018Nucleic Acids Res. 2017 Nov 846(D1):D1074-D1082
- DrugBank 4.02014Law V., Knox C., Djoumbou Y., et alDrugBank 4.0: shedding new light on drug metabolismNucleic Acids Res. 2014 Jan 142(1):D1091-7
- DrugBank 3.02011Knox C., Law V., Jewison T., et alDrugBank 3.0: a comprehensive resource for 'omics' research on drugsNucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jan39(Database issue):D1035-41
- DrugBank 2.02008Wishart D.S., Knox C., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank: a knowledgebase for drugs, drug actions and drug targets.Nucleic Acids Research2008 Jan36(Database issue):D901-6
- DrugBank 1.02006Wishart D.S., Knox C., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank: a comprehensive resource for in silico drug discovery and exploration.Nucleic Acids Research2006 Jan 134(Database issue):D668-72