About HUMIRA
HUMIRA may help you achieve clearer skin.
Red...flaky... These are just a few words that you may use to describe your plaque psoriasis.
But now there is another option available to help some people treat their plaque
psoriasis. If you have moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis, HUMIRA may help
clear your skin.
HUMIRA is used to treat moderate to severe chronic (lasting a long time) plaque
psoriasis in adults who are under the ongoing care of a physician, have the condition
in many areas of their body, and who may benefit from taking injections or pills
(systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet light alone or with
pills). When considering HUMIRA, your physician will determine if other systemic
therapies are medically less appropriate.
In one clinical trial for psoriasis patients, 7 out of 10 people taking HUMIRA saw 75% skin clearance and 6 out of 10 patients had clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks.
Safety Information
Serious infections have happened in patients taking HUMIRA. These infections include
tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have
spread throughout the body. Some of these serious infections have been fatal.
Patients treated with HUMIRA also may be at risk for other serious side effects
including certain types of cancers, allergic reactions, hepatitis B virus reactivation,
nervous system problems, blood problems, heart failure, and certain immune reactions,
including a lupus-like syndrome.
Please click here for additional Important Safety Information you should know about HUMIRA and discuss it with your doctor.
How HUMIRA Works
Even though psoriasis symptoms appear on your skin, it's a disease that is active
inside your body, attacking healthy cells beneath your skin.
Plaque psoriasis has been linked to overproduction of a protein in the body called
tumor necrosis factor (TNF). This excess TNF can cause skin cells to grow too rapidly,
resulting in red, itchy, flaking skin patches.
HUMIRA is a medication known as a TNF blocker. It works by blocking TNF molecules,
a protein in your body that can cause inflammation, and helps reduce the inflammation
too much TNF can cause. While HUMIRA can block
the bad effects of TNF in affected areas, it can also lower the ability of the
immune system to fight infections.
HUMIRA Can Be a Convenient Option
Consider your options and you may find HUMIRA to be a good fit for your lifestyle.
- HUMIRA is a medicine given by injection under the skin. After the initial starting
dose, you only need to inject HUMIRA every other week. Your first injection
should be given under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.
- You can inject HUMIRA in the convenience of your own home, after you have received
training from a healthcare provider. Just make sure you keep HUMIRA refrigerated
as instructed in your HUMIRA Medication Guide.
The dosing of HUMIRA for moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis is one injection
every other week, starting one week after the initial dose (two injections). You
should continue to use HUMIRA for as long as your physician prescribes it for you
to use.
One of the most common side effects with HUMIRA is injection site reactions such
as redness, rash, swelling, itching, or bruising. These symptoms usually will go
away within a few days. If you have pain, redness, swelling around the injection
site that doesn’t go away within a few days or gets worse, call your doctor right
away.
Do not inject HUMIRA more often than prescribed.
Signs of a serious allergic reaction include a skin rash, swollen face, trouble
breathing. Call your doctor right away if you experience any of these symptoms.
HUMIRA is not right for everyone. Talk to your dermatologist about HUMIRA today
to see if it may be right for you.