Bimekizumab-bkzx injection

Bimekizumab-bkzx injection is used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (a skin disease in which red, scaly patches form on some areas of the body) in certain adults. Bimekizumab-bkzx is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It works by blocking the action of a certain natural substance in the body that causes the symptoms of psoriasis.

Bimekizumab-bkzx comes as a solution (liquid) in a prefilled syringe and as a prefilled autoinjector to inject subcutaneously (under the skin). It is given as 2 injections at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 and then every 8 weeks after that.

Your doctor may ask you to have certain labs or tests done or receive certain vaccines before starting bimekizumab-bkzx.

You may receive your first dose of bimekizumab-bkzx injection in your doctor's office. If you are an adult, your doctor may allow you or a caregiver to perform the bimekizumab-bkzx injections at home after you have been trained. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you or the person who will be injecting the medication how to inject and prepare it.

Use each syringe or autoinjector only once and inject all the solution in the syringe or autoinjector. Dispose of used syringes and autoinjector in a puncture-resistant container. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to dispose of the puncture-resistant container.

Remove the prefilled syringe or autoinjector from the refrigerator. Place it on a flat surface without removing the needle cap and allow it warm to room temperature for 30-45 minutes before you are ready to inject the medication. Do not try to warm the medication by heating it in a microwave, placing it in hot water, leaving it in sunlight, or through any other method.

Do not shake a syringe or autoinjector that contains bimekizumab-bkzx.

Always look at bimekizumab-bkzx solution before injecting it. Check that the expiration date has not passed and that the liquid is clear or slightly yellow. The liquid should not contain visible particles. Do not use a syringe or autoinjector if it is cracked or broken, if it is expired or frozen, or if the liquid is cloudy or contains small particles.

You can inject bimekizumab-bkzx injection anywhere on the front of your thighs (upper leg) or abdomen (stomach) except your navel and the area 2 inches (5 centimeters) around it. If you have a caregiver to inject the medication, the back of the upper arm may also be used. To reduce the chances of soreness or redness, use a different site for each injection. Do not inject into an area where the skin is tender, bruised, red, or hard or where you have scars or stretch marks. Do not inject bimekizumab-bkzx into an area affected by psoriasis.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide and Instructions for Use) when you begin treatment with bimekizumab-bkzx injection and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website ( https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm ) to obtain the Medication Guide, or the manufacturer's website to obtain the Medication Guide and the Instructions for Use.

Bimekizumab-bkzx controls psoriasis but does not cure it. Continue to take bimekizumab-bkzx even if you feel well. Do not stop using bimekizumab-bkzx without talking to your doctor.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Before using bimekizumab-bkzx,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to bimekizumab-bkzx, medications, or any of the ingredients in bimekizumab-bkzx injection. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take while taking bimekizumab-bkzx. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you have an active or chronic infection including tuberculosis, have or have ever had depression or attempt or thoughts of harming yourself, liver problems, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; a group of conditions that cause swelling of the lining of the intestines) such as Crohn's disease (a condition in which the body attacks the lining of the digestive tract, causing pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fever) or ulcerative colitis (a condition which causes swelling and sores in the lining of the colon [large intestine] and rectum), or have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while using bimekizumab-bkzx, call your doctor.
• do not have any vaccinations without talking to your doctor.
• you should know that bimekizumab-bkzx injection has caused suicidal thoughts and behaviors (thoughts or attempts to harm yourself). Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms: new or worsening depression or anxiety, thoughts of suicide, dying or hurting yourself, changes in behavior or mood, acting on dangerous impulses, or attempt to commit suicide.
• you should know that bimekizumab-bkzx injection may decrease your ability to fight infection from bacteria, viruses, and fungi and increase the risk that you will get a serious or life-threatening infection. Tell your doctor if you often get any type of infection or if you have or think you may have any type of infection now. This includes minor infections (such as open cuts or sores), infections that come and go (such as herpes or cold sores), and chronic infections that do not go away. If you experience any of the following symptoms during or shortly after your treatment with bimekizumab-bkzx injection, call your doctor immediately: fever, sweats, or chills, muscle aches, shortness of breath, warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body, diarrhea, stomach pain, frequent, urgent, or painful urination, or other signs of infection. Your doctor will probably delay your treatment with bimekizumab-bkzx injection if you have an infection.
• you should know that using bimekizumab-bkzx injection increases the risk that you will develop tuberculosis (TB; a serious lung infection), especially if you are already infected with tuberculosis but do not have any symptoms of the disease. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had TB, if you have lived in a country where TB is common, or if you have been around someone who has TB. Your doctor will perform a skin test to see if you have an inactive TB infection. If necessary, your doctor will give you medication to treat this infection before you start using bimekizumab-bkzx injection. If you have any of the following symptoms of TB, or if you develop any of these symptoms during your treatment, call your doctor immediately: cough, coughing up blood or mucus, weakness or tiredness, weight loss, loss of appetite, chills, fever, or night sweats.

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Inject the missed dose as soon as you remember it and then resume normal dosing schedule.

Bimekizumab-bkzx injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• headache
• cold sores (sores around the mouth or lips)
• small, red bumps on your skin
• feeling tired
• yeast or fungal infection of the mouth or throat (patches or white in or around the mouth, difficulty or painful swallowing), skin, nails, feet (scaly, itchy skin or thickening of nails), or genitals (white discharge, itching)
• pain, redness or swelling at the injection site
• diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
• acne

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

• right-sided lower stomach pain, feeling tired, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, itching, dark urine, light-colored stool, yellowing of the skin or eyes

Bimekizumab-bkzx may cause flare-ups of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease). If you have worsening disease symptoms or new onset stomach pain or diarrhea, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may stop treatment.

Bimekizumab-bkzx may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication in the container it came in to protect it from light, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store bimekizumab-bkzx injection in the refrigerator, but do not freeze it. If needed, you may store bimekizumab-bkzx injection at room temperature for up to 30 days in the original carton to protect it from light. Once stored at room temperature, do not return bimekizumab-bkzx injection to the refrigerator. Discard bimekizumab-bkzx injection if it is not used within 30 days at room temperature.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. https://www.upandaway.org

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website (https://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your body's response to bimekizumab-bkzx.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

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