Two medicines, side by side
Eletriptan vs sumatriptan
Eletriptan and sumatriptan are both labeled for migraine. Drugs@FDA records approvals of eletriptan since 2002 and of sumatriptan since 1992. Pharmacies paid $1.75 per eletriptan hbr 40 mg tablet and $0.302 per sumatriptan succ 50 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Sumatriptan's other strengths are brand-only: $108.22 per unit (Tosymra 10 mg nasal spray). How each works, in its label's words: Eletriptan, “Eletriptan binds with high affinity to 5-HT 1B , 5-HT 1D and 5-HT 1F receptors, has modest affinity for 5-HT 1A , 5-HT 1E , 5-HT 2B and 5-HT 7 receptors.”; Sumatriptan, “Sumatriptan binds with high affinity to human cloned 5-HT 1B/1D receptors.”
Check it at the source: the eletriptan FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 27, 2024); the sumatriptan FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 12, 2026).
Highlights of the eletriptan record
Eletriptan (Relpax) · label of November 27, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsEletriptan hydrobromide tablets are indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. Limitations of Use: Use only if a clear diagnosis of migraine has been established. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 26, 2002
- Generic labelers
- 10 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $1.75 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the sumatriptan record
Sumatriptan (Imitrex) · label of May 12, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsSumatriptan tablets are indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. Limitations of Use: Use only if a clear diagnosis of migraine headache has been established. If a patient has no response to the first migraine attack treated with sumatriptan tablets, reconsider the diagnosis of migraine before sumatriptan tablets are administered to treat any subsequent attacks. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 28, 1992
- Generic labelers
- 39 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.302 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 6
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Eletriptan label of November 27, 2024, Sumatriptan label of May 12, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do eletriptan and sumatriptan differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Eletriptan, “Eletriptan binds with high affinity to 5-HT 1B , 5-HT 1D and 5-HT 1F receptors, has modest affinity for 5-HT 1A , 5-HT 1E , 5-HT 2B and 5-HT 7 receptors.”; Sumatriptan, “Sumatriptan binds with high affinity to human cloned 5-HT 1B/1D receptors.”
Both are in FDA's class serotonin-1b and serotonin-1d receptor agonists.
Half-life, in each label's words: Eletriptan, “Elimination: The terminal elimination half-life of eletriptan is approximately 4 hours.”; Sumatriptan, “Elimination The elimination half-life of sumatriptan is approximately 2.5 hours.”
Generics: eletriptan since 2017; sumatriptan since 2009 (Drugs@FDA).
| Eletriptan | Sumatriptan | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Migraine | Migraine |
| Pharmacologic class | Serotonin-1b and Serotonin-1d Receptor Agonist | Serotonin-1b and Serotonin-1d Receptor Agonist |
| How it works (label) | Eletriptan binds with high affinity to 5-HT 1B , 5-HT 1D and 5-HT 1F receptors, has modest affinity for 5-HT 1A , 5-HT 1E , 5-HT 2B and 5-HT 7 receptors. | Sumatriptan binds with high affinity to human cloned 5-HT 1B/1D receptors. |
| Half-life (label) | Elimination: The terminal elimination half-life of eletriptan is approximately 4 hours. | Elimination The elimination half-life of sumatriptan is approximately 2.5 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 26, 2002 | December 28, 1992 |
| First generic approved | June 16, 2017 | February 6, 2009 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 10 labelers | 39 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $1.75 per tablet (Eletriptan hbr 40 mg tablet) | $0.302 per tablet (Sumatriptan succ 50 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -15% | -10% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 6 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 6,996 | 44,847 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to eletriptan
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions