Generic name: secukinumab [SEK-ue-KIN-ue-mab]
Dosage forms: Cosentyx Sensoready pen (150 mg/mL), Cosentyx prefilled syringes (150 mg/mL, 75 mg/0.5 mL), ... show all 3 dosage forms
Drug class: Interleukin inhibitors
Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on Nov 1, 2023.
What is Cosentyx?
Cosentyx (secukinumab) is used to treat types of plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, enthesitis-related arthritis, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, which are autoimmune conditions. Cosentyx is an immunosuppressant medicine that reduces the effects of a chemical substance in the body that can cause inflammation.
Cosentyx is a monoclonal antibody from a group of medicines called interleukin (IL) inhibitors that work by blocking the activity of a protein called IL-17A. People who have autoimmune conditions have increased levels of this protein. By Cosentyx blocking the protein's activity, it reduces inflammation, pain, swelling, and skin symptoms that you may have.
What is Cosentyx used for?
Cosentyx is a FDA-approved approved medicine used to treat:
- moderate to severe plaque psoriasis that covers large or many areas of the body for patients 6 years and older, who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.
- active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients 2 years of age and older.
- active ankylosing spondylitis in adults.
- active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) in adults who have objective signs of inflammation.
- active enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) in patients 4 years of age and older.
- moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in adults.
This medicine may improve your psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and enthesitis-related arthritis, but it may also lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections.
Related/similar drugs
Otezla, Sotyktu, prednisone, naproxen, methotrexate, Humira, Taltz
Cosentyx side effects
Common Cosentyx side effects may include diarrhea and cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.
Serious Cosentyx side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Cosentyx with symptoms of hives, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, feeling like you might pass out, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as
- redness, warmth, or painful sores on your skin;
- cough, shortness of breath, cough with red or pink mucus;
- increased urination, burning when you urinate;
- sores or white patches in your mouth or throat (yeast infection or "thrush");
- new or worsening diarrhea or stomach pain; or
- fever, chills, sweating, muscle pain, weight loss.
Further doses may be delayed until your infection clears up.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Cosentyx side effects (more detail)
Warnings
You may get infections more easily while using Cosentyx, as it lowers your immune system's ability to fight infections. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as: fever, chills, sweats, muscle aches, skin sores, stomach pain, diarrhea, burning when you urinate, weight loss, cough, shortness of breath, or a cough with red or pink mucus.
Tell your doctor if you have an active infection or have ever been diagnosed with tuberculosis or inflammatory bowel disease before using this medicine.
Before using this medicine
You should not use Cosentyx if you are allergic to the active ingredients secukinumab, or any of the inactive ingredients contained in the medicine.
Tell your doctor if you've had or been exposed to tuberculosis, or if you recently traveled. Some infections are more common in certain parts of the world, and you may have been exposed during travel.
To make sure you can safely use Cosentyx, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- an active or chronic infection;
- inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis);
- an allergy to latex; or
- if you currently have signs of infection such as fever, sweats, chills, muscle pain, cough, shortness of breath, cough with bloody mucus, weight loss, skin sores, stomach pain, diarrhea, or painful urination.
Make sure you are current on all vaccines before you start using this medicine. You should not have any vaccinations during your treatment with Cosentyx without first talking to your doctor.
Pregnancy
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Cosentyx can harm your unborn baby. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will use this medicine.
Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor or healthcare professional if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Cosentyx passes into your breast milk.
Cosentyx pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (more detail)
How should I use Cosentyx?
Use Cosentyx for self-administration exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't understand how to use an injection.
If you prefer to have a healthcare provider administer Cosentyx to you, it is available as a monthly, 30-minute, intravenous infusion requiring no pre-medication and no laboratory monitoring.
Subcutaneous Cosentyx
Cosentyx for self-administration at home is injected under the skin (subcutaneous injection).
- Take the injection pen out of the refrigerator and let it reach room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before use. Give the injection within 1 hour after removing the medicine from the refrigerator. Do not try to warm the medication by heating it in a microwave, placing it in hot water, or through any other method.
- Prepare an injection only when you are ready to give it. You may need to use 2 injections to get your total dose.
- The solution should be clear or light-yellow. Call your pharmacist if the liquid in your vial, pen, or syringe looks cloudy, has changed colors, or has particles in it.
- Do not shake the syringe or dosing pen.
- The injection can be given anywhere on the front of your thighs (upper leg), upper outer arms, or abdomen (stomach) except your navel and the area 2 inches (5 centimeters) around it. Do not inject into the same place two times in a row. Avoid injecting into the skin that is hard, red, bruised, swollen, tender, or affected by psoriasis.
- Throw away a prefilled syringe or injection pen after one use, even if there is still medicine left inside.
- Do not reuse a needle or syringe. Place them in a puncture-proof "sharps" container and dispose of them following state or local laws. Keep out of the reach of children and pets.
You may get infections more easily, even serious infections. You will need frequent medical tests.
Cosentyx Dosing Information
Cosentyx is supplied as a Sensoready pen, prefilled syringe, or single-dose vial.
Intravenous dosing (administered by a healthcare provider)
Dilute before use. Administer over 30 minutes.
Psoriatic arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
- With a loading dose: 6 mg/kg initially at week 0 followed by 1.75 mg/kg every 4 weeks thereafter (maximum 300mg per infusion).
- Without a loading dose: 1.75 mg/kg every 4 weeks (maximum 300mg per infusion).
Usual Adult Dose for Plaque Psoriasis
Dose:
- 300 mg subcutaneously at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 followed by 300 mg every 4 weeks.
- Each 300 mg dose is given as 2 subcutaneous injections of 150 mg.
- For some patients, a dose of 150 mg subcutaneously may be acceptable.
Use: Moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.
Usual Pediatric Dose for Plaque Psoriasis
Dose:
- Dose is based on body weight, given by subcutaneous injection at Weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 followed by dosing every 4 weeks.
- Body weight less than 50kg: recommended dose is 75mg.
- Body weight is greater than or equal to 50kg: recommended dose 150mg.
Use: Moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adult patients who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.
Usual Adult Dose for Psoriatic Arthritis
Dose:
- With a loading dose: 150 mg subcutaneously at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 and every 4 weeks thereafter.
- Without a loading dose: 150 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks; if the patient continues to have active psoriatic arthritis, consider increasing the dose to 300 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks.
Comments:
- For psoriatic arthritis patients with coexistent moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, use the dosage for plaque psoriasis.
- This drug may be administered with or without methotrexate.
Use: Active psoriatic arthritis.
Usual Pediatric Dose for Psoriatic Arthritis
Dose:
- Dose is based on body weight, given by subcutaneous injection at Weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 followed by dosing every 4 weeks.
- Body weight 15 kg to less than 50kg: recommended dose is 75mg
- Body weight is greater than or equal to 50kg: recommended dose 150mg.
Comment: This drug may be administered with or without methotrexate.
Use: Active psoriatic arthritis in patients 2 years and older.
Usual Adult Dose for Ankylosing Spondylitis
Dose:
- With a loading dose: 150 mg subcutaneously at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 and every 4 weeks thereafter.
- Without a loading dose: 150 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks.
Comment: If a patient continues to have active AS, consider a dosage of 300 mg every 4 weeks.
Uses: For active ankylosing spondylitis.
Usual Adult Dose for Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
Dose:
- With a loading dosage is 150 mg at Weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 and every 4 weeks thereafter
- Without a loading dosage is 150 mg every 4 weeks
Use: Active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) in adult patients who have objective signs of inflammation.
Usual Dose for Enthesitis-Related Arthritis
Dose:
- Dose is based on body weight, given by subcutaneous injection at Weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 followed by dosing every 4 weeks.
- Body weight 15 kg to less than 50kg: the recommended dose is 75mg
- Body weight is greater than or equal to 50kg: recommended dose 150mg.
Use: Active enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) in patients 4 years of age and older.
Detailed Cosentyx dosage information
What strengths is Cosentyx available in?
- Cosentyx Sensoready pen: 150 mg/mL single dose.
- Cosentyx UnoReady pen and single-dose prefilled syringe: 300 mg/2 mL.
- Cosentyx prefilled syringe (for pediatric patients less than 50 kg): 75 mg/0.5 mL single dose.
- Cosentyx injection for intravenous infusion: 125 mg/5 mL in a single-dose vial (healthcare professional use only)
What happens if I miss a dose?
Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose of Cosentyx.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while using Cosentyx?
Avoid receiving a "live" vaccine. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), and zoster (shingles).
What other drugs will affect Cosentyx?
Cosentyx may interact with other products, so tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Know the medicines you take and keep a list to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you start a new medicine or stop a regular medicine.
When starting or stopping this medicine patients who are receiving a CYP450 substrate medicine, particularly those with a narrow therapeutic index, your therapeutic effect or drug concentration may be monitored, and you may need to have a dosage adjustment of the CYP450 substrate. To check for interactions with Cosentyx, click on the link below.
Cosentyx drug interactions (more detail)
Storage
- Store this medicine in a refrigerator between 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C). Do not freeze this medicine.
- Keep this medicine in the original carton until ready for use to protect it from light.
- If necessary the Sensoready pen, Unoready pen, and prefilled syringes may be stored at room temperature, up to 86°F (30°C), for up to 4 days.
- Write the date the medicine was removed from the refrigerator in the space provided on the carton.
- If unused and stored below 30°C (86°F), the Sensoready pen, Unoready pen, and prefilled syringes may be returned to the refrigerator only one time. Throw them away if they have been kept outside of the refrigerator and have not been used in over 4 days.
- Do not shake this medicine.
- Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.
Cosentyx Ingredients
Active ingredient: secukinumab.
Inactive ingredients:
Cosentyx Sensoready pen and prefilled syringe: L-histidine/histidine hydrochloride monohydrate, L-methionine, polysorbate 80, trehalose dihydrate, and sterile water for injection.
Cosentyx Vial: L-histidine/histidine hydrochloride monohydrate, polysorbate 80, and sucrose.
Manufacturer
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, New Jersey 07936.
Popular FAQ
People treated with Cosentyx should not receive live vaccines; however, they may receive non-live vaccinations. The COVID vaccines for fall 2023 are all non-live vaccines (from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax). There’s no evidence to show that Cosentyx should be delayed or stopped in people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. However, do not make any changes or stop your Cosentyx treatment without first speaking to your doctor.
The Cosentyx Unoready pen is a prefilled pen that contains 300mg of Cosentyx that 100% of patients found easy to use and it has a low rate of injection site reactions (less than 1% of people reported injection site reactions). It has a simple pull-off cap with a concealed needle, clear confirmation clicks to let you know when the injection starts and has finished, a viewing window so you can see when the injection is complete, and no button to press. This makes it much easier to use than the Cosnetyx Sensoready pen and it also delivers a dose of 300mg of Consentyx without the need for two injections. The Cosentyx Unoready pen can be self-injected once a month.
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are man-made proteins that mimic the natural antibodies produced by our immune systems. Monoclonal antibodies can be formulated into medicines to treat various types of illnesses, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. Continue reading
Taltz and Cosentyx are similar in the way they work, their side effects, and their potential for interactions, but Taltz does appear to provide patients with psoriatic arthritis (PA) with more quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) compared with Cosentyx at a marginally lower cost. Cosentyx may have a quicker onset of effect. Continue reading
Both Cosentyx and Humira are available as subcutaneous injections (which means given under the skin) and may be used to treat certain inflammatory conditions such as plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and ankylosing spondylitis. Cosentyx is also available as an IV injection that can be administered by a healthcare provider. After an initial loading dose, Humira is given every two weeks and Cosentyx every four weeks. Continue reading
Cosentyx is a human monoclonal antibody, which is a man-made protein that may degrade (breakdown) if it is not refrigerated or if it has been exposed to heat, sunlight, or extreme cold. Even shaking Cosentyx may cause degradation. If Cosentyx has been stored in a way that has caused it to break down (degrade), then it may not work as well as it should. It is very important that you store your Cosentyx pen or prefilled syringe correctly in the refrigerator at 2ºC to 8ºC (36ºF to 46ºF) until you need to use it. Continue reading
Although weight gain or weight loss are not listed as side effects in the manufacturer's product information for Cosentyx, anecdotally several people have reported weight gain, some significant, during Cosentyx treatment. But most people who gained weight decided to continue with Cosentyx treatment because it had effectively cleared their psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Weight loss has been noted as a rare side effect of Cosentyx in post-marketing reports. Continue reading
The biologic drug Cosentyx (secukinumab) may stay in your system for up to 110 to 155 days before it’s completely eliminated. Continue reading
Yes, Cosentyx can weaken your immune system, increasing your risk of infection. Two of the most common adverse reactions to the drug were colds and upper respiratory tract infections in clinical trials, but this occurred in less than 1% of people. Continue reading
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- Drug class: interleukin inhibitors
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Patient resources
- Cosentyx (300 MG Dose) patient information
- Cosentyx Sensoready Pen
Professional resources
- Cosentyx prescribing information
- Secukinumab (AHFS Monograph)
Related treatment guides
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Enthesitis-Related Arthritis
- Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circ*mstances.
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