Secukinumab

Secukinumab is a prescription medication used to treat adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis. 

Secukinumab belongs to a group of drugs called interleukin blockers. This drug works by blocking the action of a protein called interleukin-17A and regulating the body’s inflammatory response.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly under the skin (subcutaneous).

Common side effects of secukinumab include inflammation of the nasal passages and throat, headache, diarrhea, itching, and upper respiratory infection.

Secukinumab is a prescription medication used to treat adults:

• with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis that involves large areas or many areas of the body, and who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet or UV light alone or with systemic therapy)
• with active ankylosing spondylitis
• with active psoriatic arthritis

Secukinumab may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Cosentyx

Serious side effects have been reported with secukinumab. See the “Secukinumab Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of secukinumab include:

• inflammation of the nasal passages and throat
• headache
• diarrhea
• itching
• upper respiratory infection

This is not a complete list of side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

No drug interactions have been studied by the manufacturer. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

It is possible that secukinumab can interact with medications that use the enzyme CYP3A4 such as budesonide (Entocort), astemizole (Hismanal), cisapride (Propulsid), cyclosporine (Neoral, Gengraf, Sandimmune), darifenacin (Enablex), dihydroergotamine (Migranal), fentanyl (Abstral, Fentora, Onsolis, Actiq), pimozide (Orap), quinidine (Cardioquin, Duraquin, Quinact), sirolimus (Rapamune), tacrolimus (Prograf), terfenadine (Seldane), fluticasone (Flovent HFA, Flonase), eletriptan (Relpax), lovastatin (Mevacor), quetiapine (Seroquel), sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio), and simvastatin (Zocor).

Live vaccines should not be administered when taking secukinumab. 

Serious side effects have been reported with secukinumab including the following:

• Tuberculosis. Before starting secukinumab, you should be checked for tuberculosis. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of tuberculosis, including:
  • a cough that lasts for several weeks
  • Weight loss
  • Loss of appetite
  • Coughing up blood
  • Weakness or fatigue
  • Night sweats
• Worsening of Crohn's Disease, which causes inflammation of the intestines. If you have Crohn's disease, it is possible that it may worsen or become reactivated. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of Crohn's disease, including:
  • Pain in the abdomen
  • Pain in the rectum or anus
  • Bleeding from the rectum or anus
  • Weight loss
• Different types of infections, including:
  • Nasopharyngitis, or symptoms of the common cold like runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, and cough
  • Upper respiratory tract infections
  • Fungal infections
• Hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions, including:
  • Rash or hives
  • Itching
  • Difficulty swallowing or difficulty breathing
  • Swelling of the lips or tongue

Do not take secukinumab if you are allergic to secukinumab or to any of its ingredients.

Secukinumab may improve your psoriasis but it may also lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections.

It is not known if secukinumab is safe and effective in children.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of secukinumab, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking secukinumab, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to secukinumab or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to latex
• have or have had tuberculosis
• have recurrent infections
• have Crohn's disease
• have liver problems
• have kidney problems
• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• are not up to date with your immunizations or vaccines

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Secukinumab falls into category ­B.

There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with secukinumab. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if secukinumab crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using secukinumab.

Take secukinumab exactly as prescribed.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly under the skin (subcutaneous). It is available as a prefilled syringe, or in a pen form. 

It is also available as a powder, and is to be given directly under the skin (subcutaneous) by a healthcare professional.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of secukinumab at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight
• your height
• your age
• your gender

Moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis

The recommended dose of Cosentyx (secukinumab) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis is 300 mg by subcutaneous injection on weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4, followed by every 4 weeks thereafter. For some patients, a dose of 150 mg would be appropriate. 

Psoriatic arthritis

• The recommended dose of Cosentyx (secukinumab) for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis is the same dose used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. 
• For other psoriatic arthritis patients administer with or without a loading dosage. The recommended dosage:
  • With a loading dosage is 150 mg at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 and every 4 weeks thereafter
  • Without a loading dosage is 150 mg every 4 weeks
  • If a patient continues to have active psoriatic arthritis, consider a dosage of 300 mg

Ankylosing spondylitis

The recommended dose of Cosentyx (secukinumab) for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis is:

• With a loading dosage is 150 mg at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 and every 4 weeks thereafter
• Without a loading dosage is 150 mg every 4 weeks

If you take too much secukinumab, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If secukinumab is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store secukinumab under refrigeration.
• Secukinumab should be kept in its original carton to protect it from light 
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.