Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. ABRILADA
  2. Amjevita
  3. Cyltezo
  4. Hadlima
  5. Hulio
  6. Humira
  7. Hyrimoz
  8. Idacio
  9. Simlandi
  10. Yuflyma
  11. Yusimry

Descriptions


Adalimumab injection is used to treat the symptoms and prevent the progression of active rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. It is used in children 2 years of age and older for juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This medicine is also used to treat psoriatic arthritis, which is a type of arthritis that causes pain and swelling in the joints along with patches of scaly skin on some areas of the body. Psoriatic arthritis usually occurs with a skin condition called psoriasis. Adalimumab may be used alone or in combination with medicines (eg, methotrexate or DMARDs).

Adalimumab injection is also used to treat the symptoms of active Crohn's disease in adults and children 6 years of age and older who have not been helped by other medicines, including infliximab. It is also used to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis in adults and children 5 years of age and older who have been treated with other medicines (eg, azathioprine, corticosteroids, or 6-mercaptopurine) that did not work well.

Adalimumab injection may also be used to treat chronic plaque psoriasis, which is a skin disease with red patches and white scales that do not go away. It is also used to treat moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic skin disease that has small, painful lumps under the skin in adults and children 12 years of age and older. This medicine is also used to treat non-infectious intermediate, posterior and panuveitis in adults and children 2 years of age and older.

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

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Solution

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 performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of adalimumab injection for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and non-infectious uveitis in children 2 years of age and older, for the treatment of Crohn's disease in children 6 years of age and older, for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in children 5 years of age and older, or for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa in children 12 years of age and older. However, safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 2 years of age for juvenile idiopathic arthritis and non-infectious uveitis, in children younger than 5 years of age for ulcerative colitis, in children younger than 6 years of age for Crohn's disease, in children younger than 12 years of age for hidradenitis suppurativa, and in children for other conditions.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of adalimumab injection in the elderly. However, this medicine may cause serious infections and cancer more often in the elderly, which may require caution in patients receiving adalimumab injection.

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
  • Anakinra
  • 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
  • Levoketoconazole
  • Measles Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Methotrexate
  • Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Poliovirus Vaccine, Live
  • Rilonacept
  • Rotavirus Vaccine, Live
  • Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Smallpox Monkeypox Vaccine, Live Non-Replicating
  • Smallpox Vaccine
  • Theophylline
  • Typhoid Vaccine, Live
  • Varicella Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Vedolizumab
  • 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:

  • Blood problems (eg, aplastic anemia, pancytopenia, thrombocytopenia), history of or
  • Congestive heart failure or
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome, history of or
  • Infections (fungal, bacterial), history of or
  • Leukopenia (low number of white blood cells) or
  • Multiple sclerosis or
  • Optic neuritis (eye problem) or
  • Psoriasis (skin disease)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
  • Cancer, active or history of or
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or
  • Granulomatosis polyangiitis—Use with caution. May increase the chance of getting new cancers.
  • Diabetes or
  • Hepatitis B, history of or
  • Opportunistic infections, history of or
  • Tuberculosis, history of—May increase chance for more side effects.
  • Infection, active—Should not be used in patients with this condition.
  • Tuberculosis, active—Should be treated first before receiving this medicine.

Proper Use

This medicine is given as a shot under your skin. Adalimumab 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.

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

If you use this medicine at home, you will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself or your child a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. This will help prevent skin problems.

Do not inject into skin areas that are red, bruised, tender, or hard. If you have psoriasis, do not inject into a raised, thick, red, or scaly skin patch or into skin lesions.

This medicine is available in 2 forms. You may use a pen or a prefilled syringe.

To use thepen or syringe:

  • First, gather the items you will need on a clean, flat surface using a cloth or towel in a well-lighted area.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using this medicine.
  • Remove the carton with the syringe or pen from the refrigerator and place it on the cloth.
  • Allow 15 to 30 minutes for the syringe or pen to warm up to room temperature. Do not warm this medicine in any other way.
  • Do not remove the needle cover on the prefilled syringe or pen while allowing the medicine to reach room temperature. Only remove the cover right before use.
  • Check the liquid in the syringe or pen using the viewing window. It should be clear and colorless. If it is cloudy, discolored, or has particles floating in it, do not use the syringe or pen.
  • Check that the amount of liquid in the pen is the same or close to the fill line seen on the window. The fill line shows a full dose of the medicine. If the pen does not have the full amount of liquid, do not use it. Call your pharmacist.
  • If the liquid is clear, place the syringe or pen on a clean, flat surface. Do not shake the medicine.
  • Check the expiration date on the prefilled syringe or pen, and make sure the date has not passed. Do not use the medicine if the date has passed.
  • Choose an injection site on your body (eg, thigh or stomach area). Clean the injection site with a fresh alcohol wipe and let it dry.
  • Remove the cap or needle cover when you are ready to inject. Inject the full amount of medicine within a few minutes after the cap or cover has been removed.
  • You might have a small amount of blood or liquid at the injection site. Press and hold a dry, clean cotton ball on the injection site for 10 seconds, but do not rub it.

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 forms (pen or prefilled syringe):
    • For Crohn's disease:
      • Adults and children 6 years of age and older weighing 40 kilograms (kg) or more—At first (week 0), 160 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin in divided doses. This may be given as four shots in 1 day or as two shots per day for 2 days. Then 2 weeks later, a dose of 80 mg is given. A maintenance dose of 40 mg is given at week 4 and every other week thereafter.
      • Children 6 years of age and older weighing 17 kg and less than 40 kg—At first (week 0), 80 mg injected under the skin in divided doses. This may be given as two shots in 1 day. Then 2 weeks later, a dose of 40 mg is given. A maintenance dose of 20 mg is given at week 4 and every other week thereafter.
      • Children younger than 6 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For hidradenitis suppurativa:
      • Adults—At first (week 0), 160 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin in divided doses. This may be given as four shots in 1 day or as two shots per day for 2 days. Then 2 weeks later, a dose of 80 mg is given. A maintenance dose of 40 mg every week or 80 mg every other week is given starting at week 4.
      • Children 12 years of age and older weighing 60 kilograms (kg) or more—Dose is based on body weight and must be given by your doctor. At first (week 0), 160 mg injected under the skin in divided doses. This may be given as four shots in 1 day or as two shots per day for 2 days. Then 2 weeks later, a dose of 80 mg is given. A maintenance dose of 40 mg every week or 80 mg every other week is given starting at week 4.
      • Children 12 years of age and older weighing 30 kg to 59 kg—Dose is based on body weight and must be given by your doctor. At first (Day 1), 80 mg injected under the skin, then 40 mg on Day 8. A maintenance dose of 40 mg is given every other week.
      • Children younger than 12 years of age or weighing less than 30 kg—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For juvenile idiopathic arthritis:
      • Children 2 to 17 years of age weighing 30 kilograms (kg) or more—40 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin every other week.
      • Children 2 to 17 years of age weighing 15 to less than 30 kg—20 mg injected under the skin every other week.
      • Children 2 to 17 years of age weighing 10 to less than 15 kg—10 mg injected under the skin every other week.
      • Children younger than 2 years of age or weighing less than 10 kg—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For plaque psoriasis:
      • Adults—At first, 80 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin, then 40 mg 1 week after the initial dose and every other week thereafter.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis:
      • Adults—40 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin every other week. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. Some patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are not taking methotrexate may use 40 mg every week or 80 mg every other week.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For ulcerative colitis:
      • Adults—At first (week 0), 160 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin in divided doses. This may be given as four shots in 1 day or as two shots per day for 2 days. Then 2 weeks later, a dose of 80 mg is given. A maintenance dose of 40 mg is given at week 4 and every other week thereafter.
      • Children 5 years of age and older weighing 40 kilograms (kg) or more—At first (Day 1), 160 mg injected under the skin as a single dose in 1 day or in divided doses. This may be given as four shots in 1 day or as two shots per day for 2 days. Then 80 mg is given on Day 8 and Day 15. A maintenance dose of 80 mg every other week or 40 mg every week is given starting at week 4 (Day 29).
      • Children 5 years of age and older weighing 20 to less than 40 kg—At first (Day 1), 80 mg injected under the skin, then 40 mg on Day 8 and Day 15. A maintenance dose of 40 mg every other week or 20 mg every week is given starting at week 4 (Day 29).
      • Children younger than 5 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For uveitis:
      • Adults—At first, 80 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin, then 40 mg 1 week after the initial dose and every other week thereafter.
      • Children 2 to 17 years of age weighing 30 kilograms (kg) or more—40 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin every other week.
      • Children 2 to 17 years of age weighing 15 to less than 30 kg—20 mg injected under the skin every other week.
      • Children 2 to 17 years of age weighing 10 to less than 15 kg—10 mg injected under the skin every other week.
      • Children younger than 2 years of age or weighing less than 10 kg—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take 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 its original carton to protect from light. Do not use it if it has been frozen or thawed. If traveling, you may store this medicine at room temperature for up to 14 days. Throw away any unused medicine after 14 days. Do not store this medicine in extreme heat or cold temperatures.

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

Precautions

If you will be using this medicine for a long time, it is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits. This will allow your doctor to see if this medicine is working properly and to decide whether you should continue to use it. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

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

Adalimumab can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, which may increase the chance of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:

  • If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
  • Check with your doctor right away if you or your child notice any unusual bleeding or bruising, black, tarry stools, blood in the urine or stools, or pinpoint red spots on your skin.
  • Be careful when using a regular toothbrush, dental floss, or toothpick. Your medical doctor, dentist, or nurse may recommend other ways to clean your teeth and gums. Check with your medical doctor before having any dental work done.
  • Do not touch your eyes or the inside of your nose unless you have just washed your hands and have not touched anything else in the meantime.
  • Be careful not to cut yourself when you are using sharp objects such as a safety razor or fingernail or toenail cutters.
  • Avoid contact sports or other situations where bruising or injury could occur.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. Using abatacept (Orencia®) or anakinra (Kineret®) together with this medicine may increase your risk of having serious side effects.

This medicine may cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after this medicine is used. A small number of people (including children and teenagers) who have used this type of medicine have developed certain types of cancer (eg, leukemia). Some patients also developed a rare type of cancer called lymphoma. Talk with your doctor if you or your child have unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, or groin, or unexplained weight loss. Also, check with your doctor right away if your or your child's skin has red, scaly patches, or raised bumps that are filled with pus.

Adalimumab may cause serious allergic reactions (eg, anaphylaxis and angioneurotic edema), which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have a cough, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, fast heartbeat, large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, sex organs, rash, itching, trouble breathing, or unusual tiredness or weakness after you receive the medicine.

Check with your doctor right away if you or your child has swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, or sudden weight gain. These may be signs of a heart condition called congestive heart failure (CHF).

Some people who have used this medicine developed lupus-like symptoms during treatment and got better after the medicine was stopped. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child start having chest pains, joint pain, or a rash on the cheeks or arms that is sensitive to the sun.

Do not have any live vaccines (immunizations) while you or your child are being treated with adalimumab. Your child's vaccines need to be current before using adalimumab. Be sure to ask your child's doctor if you have any questions about this.

Serious skin reactions can occur during treatment with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child has blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while using 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. cough
  3. ear congestion
  4. gas with stomach pain
  5. hoarseness
  6. lightheadedness
  7. loss of voice
  8. lower back or side pain
  9. muscle aches and pains
  10. pain or tenderness around the eyes or cheekbones
  11. rapid and sometimes shallow breathing
  12. shivering
  13. stomach fullness
  14. stuffy nose
  15. sunken eyes
  16. thirst
  17. trouble sleeping
  18. warmth on the skin
  19. wrinkled skin

Less common

  1. Abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge
  2. agitation
  3. arm, back, or jaw pain
  4. black, tarry stools
  5. bleeding from the gums or nose
  6. blindness
  7. bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
  8. blood in the stool or change in bowel habits
  9. bloody or cloudy urine
  10. blurred vision
  11. broken bones
  12. change in size, shape, or color of an existing mole
  13. change in skin color
  14. chest pain, tightness, or heaviness
  15. chills
  16. clear or bloody discharge from the nipple
  17. cold hands and feet
  18. confusion
  19. constipation
  20. cough
  21. coughing or spitting up blood
  22. decreased urination
  23. decreased vision
  24. depression
  25. difficulty with breathing
  26. difficulty, burning, or painful urination
  27. dimpling of the breast skin
  28. dizziness
  29. drowsiness
  30. eye pain
  31. fainting
  32. fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
  33. fever
  34. forgetfulness
  35. frequent urge to urinate
  36. general feeling of illness
  37. hair loss
  38. headache
  39. hives, itching, skin rash
  40. increased thirst
  41. inverted nipple
  42. irregular breathing
  43. irregular pulse
  44. irritability
  45. light colored stools
  46. loss of appetite
  47. lump in the breast or under your arm
  48. lump or swelling in the stomach
  49. mole that leaks fluid or bleeds
  50. muscle cramps or spasms
  51. nausea
  52. new mole
  53. night sweats
  54. no blood pressure or pulse
  55. noisy breathing
  56. numbness or tingling in your arms, legs, or face
  57. pain, redness, or swelling in the arms or legs without any injury present
  58. pale skin
  59. persistent non-healing sore on your skin
  60. pink growth
  61. puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
  62. raised, firm, or bright red patch
  63. redness or swelling of the breast
  64. seeing or hearing things that are not there
  65. seizures
  66. sharp back pain just below your ribs
  67. shiny bump on your skin
  68. slurred speech or problems with swallowing
  69. sneezing
  70. sore on the skin of the breast that does not heal
  71. sore throat
  72. sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or mouth
  73. spitting up blood
  74. stiff neck
  75. stomach pain
  76. stopping of the heart
  77. sudden high fever or low grade fever for months
  78. sweating
  79. swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
  80. swollen glands
  81. swollen neck veins
  82. tiredness
  83. trouble breathing
  84. trouble thinking
  85. unconsciousness
  86. unexplained bruising or bleeding
  87. unpleasant breath odor
  88. unusual tiredness or weakness
  89. unusual weight gain or loss
  90. visual disturbances
  91. vomiting
  92. vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
  93. yellow skin or eyes

Incidence not known

  1. Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
  2. diarrhea
  3. inability to move the arms and legs
  4. joint or muscle pain
  5. pinpoint red spots on the skin
  6. red skin lesions, often with a purple center
  7. red, irritated eyes
  8. red, scaling, or crusted skin
  9. sudden numbness and weakness in the arms and legs
  10. unusual bleeding or bruising

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:

More common

  1. Bladder pain
  2. bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of 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
  3. pounding in the ears

Less common

  1. Abnormal healing
  2. decrease in height
  3. difficulty with moving
  4. difficulty with walking
  5. dry mouth
  6. heartburn
  7. indigestion
  8. loss of hearing
  9. loss of strength or energy
  10. menstrual changes
  11. muscle or joint stiffness, tightness, or rigidity
  12. muscle pain or weakness
  13. pain in the back, ribs, arms, or legs
  14. shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, and feet
  15. swelling or redness in the joints

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: April 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/es/drugs-supplements/adalimumab-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20066817