Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Selarsdi

Descriptions


Ustekinumab-aekn injection is used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in patients who may benefit from receiving phototherapy (ultraviolet light treatment) or other treatment. This medicine is also used to treat active psoriatic arthritis.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of ustekinumab-aekn injection in children younger than 6 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of ustekinumab-aekn injection in the elderly.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Abatacept
  • Adenovirus Vaccine, Live
  • Anifrolumab-fnia
  • Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin Vaccine, Live
  • Baricitinib
  • Cholera Vaccine, Live
  • Cyclosporine
  • Dengue Tetravalent Vaccine, Live
  • Ebola Zaire Vaccine, Live
  • Infliximab
  • Influenza Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Measles Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Poliovirus Vaccine, Live
  • Rotavirus Vaccine, Live
  • Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Smallpox Monkeypox Vaccine, Live Non-Replicating
  • Smallpox Vaccine
  • Typhoid Vaccine, Live
  • Varicella Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Warfarin
  • Yellow Fever Vaccine
  • Zoster Vaccine, Live

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Cancer, or history of—Use with caution. May increase risk for cancer.
  • Infection (eg, bacteria, fungus, virus)—Ustekinumab-aekn is not recommended in patients with an active infection. Caution should be used if you have a chronic infection or history of a recurring infection.
  • Tuberculosis infection, inactive—Should be treated first before starting therapy with this medicine.

Proper Use

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. It is given as a shot under your skin, usually on the upper arms, buttocks, stomach, or thighs.

Ustekinumab-aekn injection may sometimes be given at home to patients who do not need to be in the hospital or clinic. If you are using this medicine at home, your doctor or nurse will teach you how to prepare and inject the medicine. Be sure that you understand how to use the medicine.

You will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. This will help prevent skin problems from the injections. Do not inject into skin areas that are tender, red, bruised, or hard.

This medicine comes with a Medication Guide and patient instructions. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

To use the prefilled syringe:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using this medicine.
  • Check the liquid in the syringe. It should be clear and colorless to slightly yellow. Do not use it if it is frozen, discolored, cloudy, or has particles in it. Do not use the syringe it is damaged. Do not shake.
  • Remove the needle cover when you are ready to inject the medicine. Do not touch the plunger or plunger head while removing the needle cover.
  • Hold the syringe with one hand, and pull the needle cover straight off. Do not recap.
  • Do not pull back on the plunger at any time. Pinch the skin with the other hand. Insert the needle in a quick, dart-like motion at about a 45 degree angle. Push the plunger all the way until the plunger head is completely between the needle guard activation clips. Keep pressure on the plunger head. Take the needle out of your skin.
  • Slowly take your thumb off the plunger head. This will let the empty syringe move up until the entire needle is covered by the needle guard.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For injection dosage form (prefilled syringe):
    • For plaque psoriasis:
      • Adults—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor:
        • Weighing more than 100 kilograms (kg)—At first, 90 milligrams (mg) injected under your skin as a single dose, and then one dose (90 mg) after 4 weeks, followed by 90 mg every 12 weeks.
        • Weighing 100 kg or less—At first, 45 mg injected under your skin as a single dose, and then one dose (45 mg) after 4 weeks, followed by 45 mg every 12 weeks.
      • Children 6 years of age and older—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor:
        • Weighing more than 100 kilograms (kg)—90 milligrams (mg) at Weeks 0 and 4, then every 12 weeks after.
        • Weighing 60 kg to 100 kg—45 mg at Weeks 0 and 4, then every 12 weeks after.
      • Children younger than 6 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For psoriatic arthritis:
      • Adults—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor:
        • Weighing more than 100 kilograms (kg) who also have plaque psoriasis—At first, 90 milligrams (mg) injected under your skin as a single dose, and then one dose (90 mg) after 4 weeks, followed by 90 mg every 12 weeks.
        • Weighing less than 100 kg—At first, 45 mg injected under your skin as a single dose, and then one dose (45 mg) after 4 weeks, followed by 45 mg every 12 weeks.
      • Children 6 years of age and older—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor:
        • Weighing more than 100 kilograms (kg) who also have plaque psoriasis—90 milligrams (mg) at Weeks 0 and 4, then every 12 weeks after.
        • Weighing 60 kg or more—45 mg at Weeks 0 and 4, then every 12 weeks after.
      • Children younger than 6 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

This medicine needs to be given on a fixed schedule. If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

If needed, you may store the prefilled syringe at room temperature for up to 30 days. Do not put it back in the refrigerator. Throw away unused medicine after 30 days.

Do not reuse syringes and needles. Put used syringes and needles in a puncture-resistant disposable container, or dispose of them as directed by your doctor.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause serious infections (eg, bacteria, fungus, virus). Check with your doctor right away if you have chest tightness, stomach pain, fever, itching, pain or redness of the skin, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, chills, confusion, dizziness, fast heartbeat, bone pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weakness, bleeding in the eye, blurred vision, trouble breathing, sneezing, or cough.

You will need to have a skin test for tuberculosis before you start using this medicine. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your home has ever had a positive reaction to a tuberculosis test or been exposed to tuberculosis.

This medicine may increase your risk of getting some forms of cancer (eg, non-melanoma skin cancer). This is more likely to occur if you are over 60 years of age or if you are receiving PUVA therapy (psoralen and ultraviolet A treatment) or have received medicines that weaken the immune system (eg, steroids). Talk to your doctor about this risk if you have concerns.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing or swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth after receiving this medicine.

Check with your doctor if you have headache, seizures, confusion, or blurred vision or other visual problems. These may be symptoms of a rare and serious condition called posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) or reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS).

This medicine may cause non-infectious pneumonia (eg, interstitial pneumonia, eosinophilic pneumonia, cryptogenic organizing pneumonia). Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain or tightness, cough, fever or chills, sneezing, sore throat, or trouble breathing.

While you are being treated with ustekinumab-aekn and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (especially live vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Ustekinumab-aekn may lower your body's resistance and there is a chance you might get the infection the immunization is meant to prevent. In addition, the other persons living in your household should not take oral polio vaccine since there is a chance they could pass the polio virus on to you. Also avoid persons who have recently taken oral polio vaccine. Do not get close to them or stay in the same room with them for very long. If you cannot take these precautions, you should consider wearing a protective mask that covers the nose and mouth. You should not receive BCG vaccines 1 year before and 1 year after receiving this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

  1. Body aches or pain
  2. chills
  3. cough
  4. ear congestion
  5. fever
  6. headache
  7. loss of voice
  8. sneezing
  9. sore throat
  10. stuffy or runny nose
  11. trouble breathing
  12. unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common

  1. Persistent non-healing sore
  2. pink growth
  3. reddish patch or irritated area
  4. shiny bump
  5. white, yellow waxy scar-like area

Rare

  1. Discouragement
  2. feeling sad or empty
  3. irritability
  4. lack of appetite
  5. loss of interest or pleasure
  6. tiredness
  7. trouble concentrating
  8. trouble sleeping

Incidence not known

  1. Agitation
  2. back pain
  3. bladder pain
  4. bloating
  5. bloody or cloudy urine
  6. blurred vision
  7. chest pain or tightness
  8. cold or flu-like symptoms
  9. coma
  10. confusion
  11. cough
  12. coughing or spitting up blood
  13. diarrhea
  14. difficult, burning, or painful urination
  15. difficulty swallowing
  16. dizziness
  17. drowsiness
  18. dry cough
  19. fainting
  20. fast heartbeat
  21. frequent urge to urinate
  22. hallucinations
  23. hives, itching, skin rash
  24. increase in bone pain
  25. indigestion
  26. itching, pain, redness, swelling, tenderness, warmth on the skin
  27. large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
  28. lightheadedness
  29. lower back or side pain
  30. mood or mental changes
  31. muscle aches
  32. nausea
  33. night sweats
  34. puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  35. redness, soreness, or itching skin
  36. seizures
  37. severe cramping
  38. stiff neck
  39. stomach pain or tenderness
  40. vomiting

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

  1. Difficulty in moving
  2. joint pain
  3. muscle cramps, pains, or stiffness
  4. swollen joints

Rare

  1. Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Portions of this document last updated: June 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ustekinumab-aekn-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20566741