Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

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, abdomen (stomach), or thighs.

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

Ixekizumab injection may sometimes be given at home to patients who do not need to be in the hospital or clinic (eg, adults and children weighing more than 50 kilograms). 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.

Ixekizumab comes in 2 forms: a prefilled autoinjector and a prefilled syringe. Your doctor will tell you which dosage form you should use.

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 red, bruised, tender, hard, or affected by psoriasis.

Allow the medicine to warm to room temperature for 30 minutes before using it.

You might not use all of the medicine in each autoinjector or prefilled syringe. Use each autoinjector or prefilled syringe only one time. Do not save an open autoinjector or syringe. If the medicine in the autoinjector or prefilled syringe has changed color, or if you see particles in it, do not use it. Do not shake the medicine.

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 (autoinjector or prefilled syringe):
    • For ankylosing spondylitis:
      • Adults—160 milligrams (two-80 mg) injected under your skin at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis:
      • Adults—80 milligrams (mg) injected under your skin every 4 weeks.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For plaque psoriasis:
      • Adults—160 milligrams (two-80 mg) injected under your skin at Week 0, followed by 80 mg at Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12, and then 80 mg every 4 weeks.
      • Children 6 years of age and older weighing more than 50 kilograms (kg)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The starting dose is usually 160 mg (two-80 mg) injected under your skin at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks.
      • Children 6 years of age and older weighing 25 to 50 kg—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The starting dose is usually 80 mg injected under your skin at Week 0, followed by 40 mg every 4 weeks.
      • Children 6 years of age and older and weighing less than 25 kg—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The starting dose is usually 40 mg injected under your skin at Week 0, followed by 20 mg every 4 weeks.
      • Children younger than 6 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For psoriatic arthritis:
      • Adults—160 milligrams (two-80 mg) injected under your skin at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

If you miss a dose of this medicine, use it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

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.

Keep the medicine in the original carton until you are ready to use it. You may also store this medicine at room temperature up to 30°C for up to 5 days. Do not put it back in the refrigerator once stored at room temperature. Throw away any unused medicine after 5 days.

Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.

Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024

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