Quick answers
- What is Desvenlafaxine used for?
- The FDA-approved label (Pristiq Extended-Release, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., April 28, 2026) says: “PRISTIQ is indicated for the treatment of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) […]. PRISTIQ is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) indicated for the treatment of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD).” This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.
- Does Desvenlafaxine have a boxed warning?
- Yes. The FDA label for Pristiq Extended-Release has a boxed warning (“WARNING: SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS”), the FDA’s strongest warning. Read it on the full label and ask your pharmacist.
- Is there a shortage of Desvenlafaxine?
- No current shortage is listed by the FDA for the products of this medicine (FDA data from October 30, 2026).
- Has Desvenlafaxine been recalled?
- FDA enforcement reports list 2 recalls of products of this medicine; the newest started March 15, 2021 (Class II). A recall usually concerns specific lots, not every product.
- Who makes Desvenlafaxine?
- 21 companies list prescription products of Desvenlafaxine in the FDA NDC Directory, including Bryant Ranch Prepack, A-S Medication Solutions and Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited.
What Desvenlafaxine is used for
Quoted from the “Indications and Usage” section of the FDA-approved label.
PRISTIQ is indicated for the treatment of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) […]. PRISTIQ is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) indicated for the treatment of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD).
— FDA label: Pristiq Extended-Release, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., effective April 28, 2026. Read the full label on DailyMed →
The FDA has 43 labels for products of this medicine (different makers and forms); uses can differ between them. Check the label that comes with your own medicine.
This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.
Conditions named on the label
These condition names appear word for word in the label’s “Indications and Usage” text (matched with a reviewed table). Each page lists hospitals whose own websites name the condition.
Related medical specialties
Boxed warning
A boxed warning (“black box”) is the FDA’s strongest warning on a drug label, for serious or life-threatening risks.
This label has a boxed warning. Its heading: WARNING: SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS
. Read it on the full label →
42 of 43 FDA labels for this medicine have a boxed warning.
Forms and how it is given
| Dosage forms | Tablet, extended release · Tablet, film coated, extended release |
|---|---|
| Route | Oral |
| Prescription products | 69 in the FDA NDC Directory |
| Brand names | Pristiq Extended-Release |
What pharmacies pay (NADAC)
The National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) is the average price U.S. retail pharmacies paid to buy one unit of a medicine (one tablet, one mL or one gram), from a monthly survey of pharmacy invoices by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). State Medicaid programs use it to pay pharmacies.
This is not the price you pay. What you pay depends on your insurance (copay or coinsurance), your pharmacy and any discounts, and pharmacies also charge for filling a prescription. Ask your pharmacist or your health plan what your price will be.
| Strength and form | Generic or brand | Pharmacies pay |
|---|---|---|
| desvenlafaxine 100 mg tablet, extended release | Generic | $3.79 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine 50 mg tablet, extended release | Generic | $3.73 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 100 mg tablet, extended release | Generic | $0.4134 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 100 mg tablet, extended release | Brand: Pristiq Extended-Release | $13.94 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 100 mg tablet, film coated, extended release | Generic | $0.4134 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 25 mg tablet, extended release | Generic | $0.3870 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 25 mg tablet, extended release | Brand: Pristiq Extended-Release | $13.97 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 25 mg tablet, film coated, extended release | Generic | $0.3870 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 50 mg tablet, extended release | Generic | $0.3995 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 50 mg tablet, extended release | Brand: Pristiq Extended-Release | $13.96 per tablet |
| desvenlafaxine succinate 50 mg tablet, film coated, extended release | Generic | $0.3995 per tablet |
NADAC list of November 4, 2026; these prices took effect on October 21, 2026. Shown only where a package’s NDC code matches the NADAC list exactly, and only for that exact strength and form: nothing is averaged across strengths. Strengths and forms not listed here have no NADAC price.
Source: NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) 2026, data.medicaid.gov (CMS) →
Companies that list this medicine
Labelers in the FDA NDC Directory: the company named on the package (maker or distributor), with the number of prescription products.
- Bryant Ranch Prepack14 products
- A-S Medication Solutions8 products
- Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited5 products
- Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.3 products
- Advagen Pharma Ltd3 products
- Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc.3 products
- Preferred Pharmaceuticals Inc.3 products
- Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.3 products
- NorthStar Rx LLC3 products
- Actavis Pharma, Inc.3 products
- Direct_Rx3 products
- Slate Run Pharmaceuticals, LLC3 products
- Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc.3 products
- Marlex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.2 products
- Macleods Pharmaceuticals Limited2 products
- NuCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.2 products
- Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.2 products
- Proficient Rx LP1 product
- American Health Packaging1 product
- Coupler LLC1 product
- Preferred Pharmaceutical, Inc.1 product
FDA approval history
- NDA: New Drug Application: how a new (usually brand-name) medicine is approved.
- ANDA: Abbreviated New Drug Application: how a generic version is approved.
| Application | Sponsor | Approved | Later changes approved |
|---|---|---|---|
| NDA021992 PRISTIQ | Pf Prism Cv | February 29, 2008 | 32, latest August 18, 2023 2023: Labeling · 2021: Labeling · 2021: Labeling |
| NDA204150 DESVENLAFAXINE | Alembic Pharms Ltd | March 4, 2013 | 9, latest August 18, 2023 2023: Labeling · 2021: Labeling · 2019: Labeling |
Generic approvals (9)
- ANDA204003Alembic · June 29, 2015
- ANDA204028Rubicon Research · June 29, 2015
- ANDA204172Lupin · June 29, 2015
- ANDA204083Hikma · February 16, 2016
- ANDA204065Actavis Labs Fl · July 29, 2016
- ANDA210014Yichang Humanwell · October 1, 2018
- ANDA204805Platinum · May 7, 2019
- ANDA211427Macleods Pharms · January 15, 2025
- ANDA204082—
Shortage status
The FDA drug shortage list does not show these products.
Recalls
From FDA enforcement reports, matched by the product’s NDC code. A recall usually covers specific lots only: check the lot number on your package and ask your pharmacist. Do not stop a medicine on your own.
-
March 15, 2021 · Class II · Terminated · D-0581-2021
CGMP Deviations: Intermittent exposure to temperature excursion during storage.
Desvenlafaxine Extended-Release Tablets 25 mg 30 Tablets Rx Only NDC 0591-4060-30 Manufactured by: Actavis Laboratories FL, Inc. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 USA Distributed by: Actavis Pharma, Inc. Parsippany, NJ 07054 USA — Cardinal Health Inc.
-
April 16, 2014 · Class II · Terminated · D-1409-2014
Presence of Foreign Tablets/Capsules: Pfizer is recalling 50 mg Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) extended release tablets because a single Pristiq 100 mg tablet was found in a bottle of 50 mg Pristiq.
Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) Extended-Release Tablets 50 mg, 30 count bottle, Rx only, Distributed by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc., NDC 0008-1211-30 — Pfizer Us Pharmaceutical Group
What do the recall classes mean?
Class I: The most serious type: there is a reasonable chance that using the product will cause serious health problems or death.
Class II: Using the product may cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, or the chance of serious problems is remote.
Class III: Using the product is not likely to cause health problems (for example a labeling or packaging issue).
Official identifiers
Sources
- FDA-approved label on DailyMed (National Library of Medicine) — Pristiq Extended-Release, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., effective April 28, 2026; via openFDA, FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- NDC Directory (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drugs@FDA (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drug recall enforcement reports (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 27, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
- Drug shortages (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
openFDA data is provided by the FDA as is; it may be incomplete. Always rely on the label that comes with your medicine. FDA Enforcement Report search →