Indicated for moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease, moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis.
Generic name Ustekinumab.
A human monoclonal antibody.
Routes of administration subcutaneous injection, Infusion.
Metabolism is unknown.
Biological half-life 15–32 days.
It is directed against interleukin 12 and interleukin 23, naturally occurring proteins that regulate the immune system and immune-mediated inflammatory disorders.
Not effective for multiple sclerosis.
Designed to interfere with the triggering of the body’s inflammatory response through the suppression of certain cytokines, specifically, it blocks interleukin IL-12 and IL-23 which help activate certain T-cells.
It binds to the p-40 subunit of both IL-12 and IL-23 so that they subsequently cannot bind to their receptors.
Adverse effects: increased risk of infection, increased risk of certain types of cancer,posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a risk, upper respiratory infection, headache, and tiredness.
In a study comparing etanercept and ustekinumab at twelve weeks, psoriatic plaques were reduced by at least three-quarters in 68% of the low-dose ustekinumab group and 74% of the high-dose group, and both groups fared better than the etanercept group, 57% of whom saw such improvement.