brodalumab at a glance
Medicine class
Biologic interleukin inhibitor
Licensed use
Moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy
Administration
Injection under the skin; self-injection is possible after appropriate training
Vaccines
Live vaccines should not be given during treatment
Storage
Keep refrigerated, do not freeze and protect from light
What is brodalumab used for?
Brodalumab is licensed for:
Moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic treatment.
How does brodalumab work?
Brodalumab binds to IL-17 receptor A, which is used by several inflammatory IL-17 signals. Blocking this receptor reduces the inflammation that drives thickened, red and scaly psoriasis plaques.
brodalumab preparations and strengths
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 210 mg
How to take brodalumab
Brodalumab is injected under the skin. A patient or caregiver may give it after training and should follow the supplied injection instructions.
Use the thighs or abdomen; a caregiver may also use the outer upper arm.
Avoid tender, bruised, red, hard, scaly or psoriasis-affected skin, and vary the injection spot.
Let the syringe reach room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Do not shake it or warm it another way.
Do not use a syringe that was dropped, damaged, cloudy, discoloured or contains particles.
Put the used single-use syringe directly into an appropriate sharps container.
brodalumab side effects
Common or expected effects
- Joint or muscle pain
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Diarrhoea or nausea
- Mouth or throat pain
- Injection-site redness, pain, itching, bruising or bleeding
- Influenza or fungal skin infections
Get urgent medical advice
- Serious allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis
- Serious infection
- New or worsening inflammatory bowel disease
- New or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or unusual mood changes
brodalumab in pregnancy
Human pregnancy information is limited, and the product information advises avoiding brodalumab during pregnancy as a precaution. It can cross the placenta. Discuss pregnancy planning, exposure during pregnancy and live vaccination of an exposed infant with the specialist team.
brodalumab while breastfeeding
It is unknown whether brodalumab enters human milk, although transfer is expected to be low after the first milk and infant absorption may be limited. Evidence from breastfeeding use is absent. Review the benefits of treatment and breastfeeding with the specialist prescriber, particularly for a newborn or premature infant.
brodalumab interactions
Tell the prescribing team about medicines, vaccines and other psoriasis treatments. Important considerations include:
Live vaccines
Do not give concurrently because safety and vaccine-related infection risk have not been established.
Other biologics or systemic immunosuppressants
Combined safety and effectiveness have not been evaluated, so specialist review is required.
Phototherapy
Combined use has not been evaluated and should be reviewed by the treating dermatologist.
Common questions about brodalumab
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Can brodalumab be self-injected?
Yes. A patient or caregiver may inject it at home after a clinician decides this is appropriate and provides practical training.
Where should brodalumab be injected?
Inject it under the skin of the thigh or abdomen; a caregiver may also use the outer upper arm. Avoid inflamed, bruised, hard or psoriasis-affected skin.
Can I eat normally while using brodalumab?
Yes. It is an injection, and the product information does not specify food restrictions.
Can I have vaccinations while using brodalumab?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.