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Taltz ® (ixekizumab) injection
80 mg/mL
This information is provided in response to your request. Resources may contain information about doses, uses, formulations and populations different from product labeling. See Prescribing Information above, if applicable.
What are the most common side effects in patients treated with Taltz® (ixekizumab)?
Most common side effects and safety information from the ixekizumab label are summarized below.
Contraindications
Ixekizumab is contraindicated in patients with a previous serious hypersensitivity reaction, such as anaphylaxis, to ixekizumab or to any of the excipients.1
Warnings and Precautions
Infections: Ixekizumab may increase the risk of infection. Upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, conjunctivitis, and tinea infections occurred more frequently in the ixekizumab group than in the placebo group. Instruct patients treated with ixekizumab to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms of clinically important chronic or acute infection occur. If a patient develops a serious infection or is not responding to standard therapy, monitor the patient closely and discontinue ixekizumab until the infection resolves.1
Pretreatment Evaluation for tuberculosis (TB): Evaluate patients for TB infection prior to initiating treatment with ixekizumab. Do not administer to patients with active TB infection. Initiate treatment of latent TB prior to administering ixekizumab. Consider anti-TB therapy prior to initiating ixekizumab in patients with a history of latent or active TB in whom an adequate course of treatment cannot be confirmed. Patients receiving ixekizumab should be monitored closely for signs and symptoms of active TB during and after treatment.1
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including angioedema and urticaria (each ≤0.1%) occurred in the ixekizumab group in clinical trials. Anaphylaxis, including cases leading to hospitalization, has been reported in postmarketing use with ixekizumab. If a serious hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue ixekizumab immediately and initiate appropriate therapy.1
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Patients treated with ixekizumab may be at increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In clinical trials, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, including exacerbations, occurred at a greater frequency in the ixekizumab group than the placebo control group. During ixekizumab treatment, monitor for onset or exacerbation of IBD and if IBD occurs, discontinue ixekizumab and initiate appropriate medical management.1
Immunizations: Prior to initiating therapy with ixekizumab, consider completion of all age appropriate immunizations according to current immunization guidelines. Avoid use of live vaccines in patients treated with ixekizumab. No data are available on the response to live vaccines.1
Adverse Reactions in Ixekizumab Clinical Trials
Most common (≥1%) adverse reactions associated with ixekizumab treatment are
- injection site reactions
- upper respiratory tract infections
- nausea, and
- tinea infections.1
Adult Plaque Psoriasis
In the 12-week, placebo-controlled period across the 3 UNCOVER pivotal adult plaque psoriasis clinical trials, AEs occurred in 58% of patients treated with ixekizumab 80 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) (2.5 per subject-year of follow-up) compared with 47% of the placebo group (2.1 per subject-year of follow-up). Serious adverse events occurred in 2% of the ixekizumab group (0.07 per subject-year of follow-up), and in 2% of the placebo group (0.07 per subject-year of follow-up).1
Adverse reactions reported by >1% of patients treated with ixekizumab 80 mg Q2W (approved dosage regimen through week 12) are listed in .
Adverse Reactions |
IXE Q2Wa |
Etanerceptb |
Placebo |
Injection-site reactions |
196 (17) |
32 (11) |
26 (3) |
Upper respiratory tract infectionsc |
163 (14) |
23 (8) |
101 (13) |
Nausea |
23 (2) |
1 (<1) |
5 (1) |
Tinea infections |
17 (2) |
0 |
1 (<1) |
Abbreviations: IXE= ixekizumab; Q2W = every 2 weeks.
Note: Adverse reactions that occurred at rates <1% in the ixekizumab group and more frequently than in the placebo group during the 12-week induction period included rhinitis, oral candidiasis, urticaria, influenza, conjunctivitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and angioedema.
aFollowing 160 mg starting dose of ixekizumab at week 0.
bUS approved etanercept only. UNCOVER-2 and -3 only.
cUpper respiratory tract infections cluster includes nasopharyngitis and rhinovirus infection.
Pediatric Plaque Psoriasis
Overall, the safety profile observed in pediatric patients with plaque psoriasis treated with ixekizumab every 4 weeks (Q4W) is consistent with the safety profile in adult patients with plaque psoriasis with the exception of the frequencies of
- conjunctivitis (2.6%)
- influenza (1.7%), and
- urticaria (1.7%).1
Psoriatic Arthritis
Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with ixekizumab Q4W is consistent with the safety profile in patients with plaque psoriasis with the exception of the frequencies of influenza (1.3%) and conjunctivitis (1.3%).1
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with ankylosing spondylitis/radiographic axial spondyloarthritis treated with ixekizumab 80 mg Q4W is consistent with the safety profile in patients with plaque psoriasis.1
Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis treated with ixekizumab 80 mg Q4W up to week 16 is consistent with the previous experience of ixekizumab in other indications.1
Enclosed Prescribing Information
The published reference below is available by contacting 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979).
References
1Taltz [package insert]. Indianapolis, IN: Eli Lilly and Company; 2022.
Date of Last Review: July 17, 2023