IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Infections
STELARA® (ustekinumab) may increase the risk of infections and reactivation of
latent infections. Serious bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, some requiring hospitalization, were reported. In patients with psoriasis, serious infections included diverticulitis, cellulitis, pneumonia, appendicitis,
cholecystitis, sepsis, osteomyelitis, viral infections, gastroenteritis and urinary tract infections. In patients with psoriatic arthritis, serious infections included cholecystitis. In patients with Crohn’s disease,
serious or other clinically significant infections included anal abscess, gastroenteritis, ophthalmic herpes, pneumonia, and Listeria meningitis.
Treatment with STELARA® should not be initiated in patients with a clinically
important active infection until the infection resolves or is adequately treated. Consider the risks and benefits of treatment prior to initiating use of STELARA® in patients with a chronic infection or a history of recurrent infection.
Instruct patients to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms suggestive of an infection occur while on treatment with STELARA® and consider discontinuing STELARA® for serious or clinically significant infections
until the infection resolves or is adequately treated.
Theoretical Risk for Vulnerability to Particular Infections
Individuals genetically deficient in IL‑12/IL‑23 are particularly vulnerable to disseminated infections from mycobacteria, Salmonella, and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccinations. Serious infections
and fatal outcomes have been reported in such patients. It is not known whether patients with pharmacologic blockade of IL‑12/IL‑23 from treatment with STELARA® may be susceptible to these types of infections. Appropriate diagnostic testing should be considered, e.g., tissue culture, stool culture, as dictated by clinical circumstances.
Pre-Treatment Evaluation of Tuberculosis (TB)
Evaluate patients for TB prior to initiating treatment with STELARA®. Do not administer
STELARA® to patients with active tuberculosis infection. Initiate treatment
of latent TB before administering STELARA®. Closely monitor patients receiving
STELARA® for signs and symptoms of active TB during and after treatment.
Malignancies
STELARA® is an immunosuppressant and may increase the risk of malignancy. Malignancies
were reported among patients who received STELARA® in clinical studies. The
safety of STELARA® has not been evaluated in patients who have a history of
malignancy or who have a known malignancy.
There have been reports of the rapid appearance of multiple cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas in patients receiving STELARA® who had risk factors for developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). All patients receiving STELARA®,
especially those >60 years or those with a history of PUVA or prolonged immunosuppressant treatment, should be monitored for the appearance of NMSC.
Hypersensitivity Reactions
STELARA® is contraindicated in patients with clinically significant hypersensitivity
to ustekinumab or excipients. Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema, have been reported with STELARA®.
If an anaphylactic or other clinically significant hypersensitivity reaction occurs, institute appropriate therapy and discontinue STELARA®.
Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome (RPLS)
One case of reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) was observed in clinical studies of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. No cases of RPLS were observed in clinical studies of Crohn’s disease. If RPLS
is suspected, administer appropriate treatment and discontinue STELARA®. RPLS
is a neurological disorder, which is not caused by an infection or demyelination. RPLS can present with headache, seizures, confusion, and visual disturbances. RPLS has been associated with fatal outcomes.
Immunizations
Prior to initiating therapy with STELARA®, patients should receive all age-appropriate
immunizations recommended by current guidelines. Patients being treated with STELARA® should not receive live vaccines. BCG vaccines should not be given during treatment or within one year of initiating or discontinuing STELARA®.
Exercise caution when administering live vaccines to household contacts of STELARA® patients, as shedding and subsequent transmission to STELARA® patients may occur.
Non-live vaccinations received during a course of STELARA® may not elicit an
immune response sufficient to prevent disease.
Concomitant Therapies
The safety of STELARA® in combination with other immunosuppressive agents or phototherapy
was not evaluated in clinical studies of psoriasis. Ultraviolet-induced skin cancers developed earlier and more frequently in mice. In psoriasis studies, the relevance of findings in mouse models for malignancy risk
in humans is unknown. In psoriatic arthritis studies, concomitant MTX use did not appear to influence the safety or efficacy of STELARA®.
In Crohn’s disease studies, concomitant use of 6‑mercaptopurine, azathioprine, methotrexate and corticosteroids did not appear to influence the overall safety or efficacy of STELARA®.
Noninfectious Pneumonia
Cases of interstitial pneumonia, eosinophilic pneumonia, and cryptogenic organizing pneumonia have been reported during post-approval use of STELARA®.
Clinical presentations included cough, dyspnea, and interstitial infiltrates following one to three doses. Serious outcomes have included respiratory failure and prolonged hospitalization. Patients improved with discontinuation
of therapy and, in certain cases, administration of corticosteroids. If diagnosis is confirmed, discontinue STELARA® and institute appropriate treatment.
Allergen Immunotherapy
STELARA® may decrease the protective effect of allergen immunotherapy (decrease
tolerance) which may increase the risk of an allergic reaction to a dose of allergen immunotherapy. Therefore, caution should be exercised in patients receiving or who have received allergen immunotherapy, particularly
for anaphylaxis.
Most Common Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions (≥3% and higher than that with placebo) in adults from psoriasis clinical studies for STELARA® 45 mg, STELARA® 90 mg, or placebo were: nasopharyngitis (8%, 7%, 8%), upper
respiratory tract infection (5%, 4%, 5%), headache (5%, 5%, 3%), and fatigue (3%, 3%, 2%), respectively. The safety profile in adolescents with plaque psoriasis through Week 60 was similar to that of adults with plaque
psoriasis. In psoriatic arthritis (PsA) studies, a higher incidence of arthralgia and nausea was observed in patients treated with STELARA® when compared with placebo (3% vs 1% for both). In Crohn’s disease induction studies, common adverse reactions (3% or more of patients treated with STELARA® and higher than placebo) reported through Week 8 for STELARA® 6 mg/kg intravenous
single infusion or placebo included: vomiting (4% vs 3%). In the Crohn’s disease maintenance study, common adverse reactions (3% or more of patients treated with STELARA® and higher than placebo) reported through Week 44 were: nasopharyngitis (11% vs 8%), injection site erythema (5% vs 0%), vulvovaginal candidiasis/mycotic infection (5% vs 1%), bronchitis (5% vs 3%), pruritus (4% vs
2%), urinary tract infection (4% vs 2%) and sinusitis (3% vs 2%).
Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for STELARA®. Provide the Medication Guide to your patients and encourage discussion.
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