From the FDA Drug Label
Psoriatic Arthritis (2. 4) Recommended dosage is 160 mg by subcutaneous injection (two 80 mg injections) at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks. For psoriatic arthritis patients with coexistent moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, use the dosing regimen for adult plaque psoriasis. (2.2)
The dosing schedule for Taltz (ixekizumab) for psoriatic arthritis is 160 mg at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks. If the patient has coexistent moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, the dosing regimen for adult plaque psoriasis should be used 1.
From the Research
For psoriatic arthritis, Taltz (ixekizumab) is typically administered as an initial 160 mg dose (given as two 80 mg injections) at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks thereafter. The medication is delivered via subcutaneous injection, which patients can self-administer after proper training 2. The prefilled syringe or autoinjector should be removed from the refrigerator 30 minutes before injection to allow it to reach room temperature. Injection sites include the abdomen, thigh, or back of the upper arm, and sites should be rotated with each dose.
Key Considerations
- Patients should be monitored for signs of improvement within the first 16 weeks of treatment, as clinical response is typically observed during this period 3.
- If no response is seen after 16-20 weeks, discontinuation may be considered.
- Taltz works by targeting interleukin-17A, a cytokine involved in the inflammatory process of psoriatic arthritis, thereby reducing joint inflammation, pain, and preventing progressive joint damage 4.
Safety Profile
- The safety profile of ixekizumab is consistent with the known safety profile in patients with PsA, with no new or unexpected safety events detected 5.
- The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infection, with low incidence rates of serious cases 5.
Efficacy
- Ixekizumab has shown significant efficacy in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, with sustained long-term clinical response 3, 6.
- Clinical responses, as measured by American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response criteria and minimal disease activity (MDA) criteria, were observed in a significant proportion of patients treated with ixekizumab 3.