Two medicines, side by side
Sumatriptan vs zolmitriptan
Sumatriptan and zolmitriptan are both labeled for migraine. Drugs@FDA records approvals of sumatriptan since 1992 and of zolmitriptan since 1997. Pharmacies paid $0.302 per sumatriptan succ 50 mg tablet and $1.02 per zolmitriptan 2.5 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: Sumatriptan, “Sumatriptan binds with high affinity to human cloned 5-HT 1B/1D receptors.”; Zolmitriptan, “Zolmitriptan binds with high affinity to human recombinant 5-HT 1D and 5-HT 1B receptors, and moderate affinity for 5-HT 1A receptors.”
Check it at the source: the sumatriptan FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 12, 2026); the zolmitriptan FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 29, 2026).
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
Highlights of the zolmitriptan record
Zolmitriptan (Zomig) · label of January 29, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsZolmitriptan tablets are indicated for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. Limitations of Use • Only use zolmitriptan tablets if a clear diagnosis of migraine has been established. If a patient has no response to zolmitriptan tablets treatment for the first migraine attack, reconsider the diagnosis of migraine before zolmitriptan tablets are administered to treat any subsequent attacks. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 25, 1997
- Generic labelers
- 20 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $1.02 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Sumatriptan label of May 12, 2026, Zolmitriptan label of January 29, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do sumatriptan and zolmitriptan differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Sumatriptan, “Sumatriptan binds with high affinity to human cloned 5-HT 1B/1D receptors.”; Zolmitriptan, “Zolmitriptan binds with high affinity to human recombinant 5-HT 1D and 5-HT 1B receptors, and moderate affinity for 5-HT 1A receptors.”
Both are in FDA's class serotonin-1b and serotonin-1d receptor agonists.
Generics: sumatriptan since 2009; zolmitriptan since 2013 (Drugs@FDA).
| Sumatriptan | Zolmitriptan | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Migraine | Migraine |
| Pharmacologic class | Serotonin-1b and Serotonin-1d Receptor Agonist | Serotonin-1b and Serotonin-1d Receptor Agonist |
| How it works (label) | Sumatriptan binds with high affinity to human cloned 5-HT 1B/1D receptors. | Zolmitriptan binds with high affinity to human recombinant 5-HT 1D and 5-HT 1B receptors, and moderate affinity for 5-HT 1A receptors. |
| Half-life (label) | Elimination The elimination half-life of sumatriptan is approximately 2.5 hours. | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 28, 1992 | November 25, 1997 |
| First generic approved | February 6, 2009 | May 14, 2013 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 39 labelers | 20 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.302 per tablet (Sumatriptan succ 50 mg tablet) | $1.02 per tablet (Zolmitriptan 2.5 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -10% | -20% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 6 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 44,847 | 7,155 |
| 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 sumatriptan
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions