Innovations in GERD: What Vonoprazan (Voquezna) May Offer Over PPIs, with Adelina Hung, MD

Proton pump inhibitors have long been the mainstay of treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), dating back to omeprazole (Prilosec)’s initial approval in 1989. However, the treatment landscape has undergone its first major changes in the past 30 years with the emergence of vonoprazan (Voquezna).A novel, first-in-class small molecule potassium-competitive acid blocker (PCAB), vonoprazan now boasts 3 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals across both erosive and non-erosive GERD. Less than a year after earning approval for the healing and maintenance of healing of all grades of erosive GERD as well as the relief of heartburn associated with erosive GERD, vonoprazan has also been approved for the treatment of heartburn in non-erosive GERD.