What is the most important information I should know about secukinumab?
Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.
What is secukinumab?
Secukinumab is an immunosuppressant that is used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, active psoriatic arthritis, or active ankylosing spondylitis.
Secukinumab may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using secukinumab?
You should not use secukinumab if you are allergic to it.
Secukinumab is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had tuberculosis or if anyone in your household has tuberculosis. Also tell your doctor if you have recently traveled. Tuberculosis and some fungal infections are more common in certain parts of the world, and you may have been exposed during travel.
Before you start treatment with secukinumab, your doctor may perform tests to make sure you do not have tuberculosis or other infections.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- a chronic infection;
- Crohn's disease; or
-
if you currently have signs of infection such as fever, chills, muscle pain, cough, trouble breathing, skin sores, stomach pain, diarrhea, weight loss, or painful urination.
Make sure you are current on all vaccines before you begin treatment with secukinumab.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
How should I use secukinumab?
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.
Secukinumab is injected under the skin. A healthcare provider may teach you how to properly use the medication by yourself.
Read and carefully follow any Instructions for Use provided with your medicine. You may need to use 2 injections to get your total dose. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't understand all instructions.
Your care provider will show you where on your body to inject secukinumab. Do not inject into skin with active psoriasis, or skin that is red, bruised, or tender. Do not inject within 2 inches of your navel (belly button).
Secukinumab should be clear or light-yellow. Do not use if the medicine looks cloudy, has changed colors, or has particles in it. Call your pharmacist for new medicine.
Store this medicine in the original container in a refrigerator. Protect from light and do not shake or freeze. Take the medicine out of the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before injecting your dose. Give the injection within 1 hour after removing the medicine from a refrigerator.
Use a needle and syringe only once and then place them in a puncture-proof "sharps" container. Follow state or local laws about how to dispose of this container. Keep it out of the reach of children and pets.
Each prefilled syringe or injection pen is for one use only. Throw it away after one use, even if there is still medicine left inside.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose of secukinumab.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while using secukinumab?
Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using secukinumab. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), polio, rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), zoster (shingles), and nasal flu (influenza) vaccine.
What are the possible side effects of secukinumab?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; chest tightness, difficult breathing; feeling like you might pass out; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- redness, warmth, or painful sores on your skin;
- cough, shortness of breath, cough with red or pink mucus;
- increased urination, burning when you urinate;
- sores or white patches in your mouth or throat (yeast infection or "thrush");
- diarrhea, stomach pain; or
- fever, chills, sweating, muscle pain, weight loss.
Common side effects may include:
- diarrhea; or
- cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect secukinumab?
Other drugs may affect secukinumab, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
Where can I get more information?
Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about secukinumab.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2020 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 2.03. Revision date: 7/15/2019.
