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Vilazodone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

Vilazodone is a medicine sold in the U.S. under one brand, for major depressive disorder. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the FDA (openFDA label, NDC Directory & Enforcement) sourcesUpdated Jul 24, 2026How we research

Key facts

Treats
Major Depressive Disorder
Available as
Tablet
Sold as
Viibryd
Prescription?
Prescription only
Generic available?
Not in our catalog
What the pharmacy pays
about $30 for a 30-count supply — not your price
Boxed warning
Boxed warning

How vilazodone is dosed

From the FDA label for Viibryd (application NDA022567). Other vilazodone products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

Recommended target dosage: 20 mg to 40 mg once daily with food ( 2.1 , 12.3 ) To titrate: start with initial dosage of 10 mg once daily for 7 days, followed by 20 mg once daily. The dose may be increased up to 40 mg once daily after a minimum of 7 days between dosage increases ( 2.1 ) Prior to initiating VIIBRYD, screen for bipolar disorder ( 2.2 , 5.4 ) When discontinuing VIIBRYD, reduce dosage gradually ( 2.4 , 5.5 ) 2.1 Dosage for Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder The recommended target dosage for VIIBRYD is 20 mg to 40 mg orally once daily with food [ see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 ) , Clinical Studies ( 14 ) ] . To achieve the target dosage, titrate VIIBRYD as follows: Start with an initial dosage of 10 mg once daily with food for 7 days, Then increase to 20 mg once daily with food. The dose may be increased up to 40 mg once daily with food after a minimum of 7 days between dosage increases. If a dose is missed, it should be taken as soon as the patient remembers. If it is almost time for the next dose, the patient should skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the regular time. Two doses should not be taken at the same time. 2.2 Screen for Bipolar Disorder Prior to Starting VIIBRYD Prior to initiating treatment with VIIBRYD or another antidepressant, screen patients for a personal or family history of bipolar disorder, mania, or hypomania [see Warnings and…

Vilazodone side effects

The following adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling: Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Adolescents and Young Adults [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )]. Serotonin Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )]. Increased Risk of Bleeding [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )]. Activation of Mania or Hypomania [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )]. Discontinuation Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )]. Seizures [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 )] . Angle-Closure Glaucoma [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 )]. Hyponatremia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.8 )]. Sexual Dysfunction [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.9 )]. Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 5% and at least twice the rate of placebo): diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and insomnia ( 6 ). To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AbbVie Inc. at 1-800-678-1605 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions and varying lengths of time, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect rates observed in practice. The most commonly observed adverse reactions in VIIBRYD-treated patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) in…

Who shouldn’t take vilazodone

VIIBRYD is contraindicated in: Patients taking, or within 14 days of stopping, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), including MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue, because of an increased risk of serotonin syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) , Drug Interactions ( 7 ) ] . Concomitant use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or use within 14 days of stopping MAOIs ( 4 )

Vilazodone drug interactions

CYP3A4 Inhibitors: The VIIBRYD dose should not exceed 20 mg once daily when co-administered with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors ( 2.4 , 7 ). CYP3A4 Inducers: Consider increasing VIIBRYD dosage by 2-fold, up to 80 mg once-daily over 1 to 2 weeks when used concomitantly with strong CYP3A4 inducers for greater than 14 days ( 2.4 , 7 ). 7.1 Drugs Having Clinically Important Interactions With VIIBRYD Table 4: Clinically Important Drug Interactions with VIIBRYD Concomitant Drug Name or Drug Class Clinical Rationale Clinical Recommendation Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) The concomitant use of MAOIs and serotonergic drugs including VIIBRYD increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. VIIBRYD is contraindicated in patients taking MAOIs, including MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue [see Contraindications ( 4 ), Dos age and Administration ( 2.3 ) , and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )]. Other Serotonergic Drugs Concomitant use of VIIBRYD with other serotonergic drugs (including other SSRIs, SNRIs, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, lithium, buspirone, amphetamines, tryptophan, and St. John's Wort) increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, particularly during VIIBRYD initiation. If serotonin syndrome occurs, consider discontinuation of VIIBRYD and/or concomitant serotonergic drugs [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )]. Antiplatelet Agents and Anticoagulants Serotonin release by platelets plays an important role in hemostasis. The concurrent use of an antiplatelet agent or anticoagulant with VIIBRYD may potentiate the risk of bleeding. Inform patients of the increased risk of bleeding with the concomitant use of VIIBRYD and antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants. For patients taking warfarin, carefully monitor the international normalized ratio (INR) when initiating, titrating, or discontinuing VIIBRYD [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )]. Strong CYP3A4 Inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, clarithromycin, voriconazole) The concomitant use of VIIBRYD and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors increased the exposure of vilazodone compared to the use of VIIBRYD alone [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )]. The VIIBRYD dose should not exceed 20 mg once daily with the concomitant use of a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.4 ) , Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 ) ] . Strong CYP3A4 Inducers (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampin) The concomitant use of VIIBRYD and strong CYP3A4 inducers decreased the exposure of vilazodone compared to the use of VIIBRYD alone [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )]. Based on clinical response, consider increasing the dosage of VIIBRYD, over 1 to 2 weeks in patients taking strong CYP3A4 inducers for greater than 14 days [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.4 ) , Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 ) ]. Digoxin Digoxin is a narrow therapeutic index drug. Concomitant use of VIIBRYD increased digoxin concentrations [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . Measure serum digoxin concentrations before initiating concomitant use of VIIBRYD. Continue monitoring and reduce digoxin dose as necessary. 7.2 Drugs Having No Clinically Important Interactions With VIIBRYD Based on pharmacokinetic studies, no dosage adjustment is required for drugs that are substrates of CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, and/or P-glycoprotein (except narrow therapeutic index drugs, e.g., digoxin), when VIIBRYD is administered concomitantly [see Drug Interactions ( 7.1 ), Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] .

Every vilazodone product we track (1)

Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.

Only one: Viibryd.

What vilazodone pills look like

Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.

Vilazodone pill imprints
ImprintStrengthColourShape
1010 mgpinkoval
2020 mgyellowoval
4040 mgblueoval
MV;1520 mgorangeoval
MV;1640 mgblueoval
FR110 mgpinkoval
FR220 mgorangeoval
TV;V710 mgpinkoval
TV;V7120 mgbrownoval
TV;V7240 mgblueoval
TV;V710 mgpinkoval
TV;V7120 mgbrownoval

How long vilazodone keeps

No vilazodone label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.

Does vilazodone expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labels

Vilazodone and breastfeeding

From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.

Because there is no published experience with vilazodone during breastfeeding, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.

Full LactMed record for vilazodone: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider instead

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised April 18, 2022. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.

What people report to the FDA about vilazodone

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 723 reports naming vilazodone, and the FDA flagged 25% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:

  • diarrhoea81 reports
  • nausea75 reports
  • anxiety66 reports
  • insomnia62 reports
  • headache54 reports
  • depression42 reports
  • dizziness40 reports
  • fatigue35 reports

Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean vilazodone caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.

Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 26, 2026.

Related calculators

Frequently asked questions

What is vilazodone?

VIIBRYD tablets for oral administration contain polymorph Form IV vilazodone hydrochloride (HCl), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and a 5HT 1A receptor partial agonist. Vilazodone HCl is 2-benzofurancarboxamide, 5-[4-[4-(5-cyano-1 H -indol-3-yl)butyl]-1-piprazinyl]-, hydrochloride (1:1).

Can you take vilazodone with other medicines?

It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run vilazodone against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.

What forms does vilazodone come in?

Across the brands we track, vilazodone is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.

Is there a generic vilazodone?

We do not currently list a generic-labelled vilazodone product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.

Cite this page
APA
pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Vilazodone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/vilazodone
MLA
“Vilazodone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/vilazodone.

We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.

Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.

Read the full FDA label for vilazodone on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.