Secukinumab

The Basics

What is Secukinumab?

Used to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis that involves large areas or many areas of the body.

Brand names for Secukinumab

Cosentyx

How Secukinumab is classified

Antibodies – Monoclonal, Dermatologic Agents

Secukinumab During Pregnancy

Secukinumab pregnancy category

Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Secukinumab while pregnant

Limited available human data with COSENTYX use in pregnant women are insufficient to inform a drug associated risk of adverse developmental outcomes. In an embryo-fetal development study, no adverse developmental effects were observed in infants born to pregnant monkeys after subcutaneous administration of secukinumab during organogenesis at doses up to 30 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) (see Data). The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown; however, the background risk in the U.S. general population of major birth defects is 2%-4% and of miscarriage is 15%-20% of clinically recognized pregnancies.

Taking Secukinumab While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Secukinumab?

No information is available on the clinical use of secukinumab during breastfeeding. Because secukinumab is a large protein molecule with a molecular weight of 151,000, the amount in milk is likely to be very low and absorption is unlikely because it is probably destroyed in the infant’s gastrointestinal tract. Until more data become available, secukinumab should be used with caution during breastfeeding, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.

Maternal / infant drug levels

No information is available on the clinical use of secukinumab during breastfeeding. Because secukinumab is a large protein molecule with a molecular weight of 151,000, the amount in milk is likely to be very low and absorption is unlikely because it is probably destroyed in the infant’s gastrointestinal tract. Until more data become available, secukinumab should be used with caution during breastfeeding, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.

Possible effects of Secukinumab on milk supply

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Possible alternatives to Secukinumab

(Psoriasis) Adalimumab, Etanercept, Infliximab, Phototherapy, Tretinoin.