Is weight gain a side effect of Taltz?

Weight gain is not a known side effect of Taltz (ixekizumab), a humanized interleukin-17A antagonist used to treat adults and children with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, as well as adults with active psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation.

Since its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2016, Taltz hasn’t been shown to cause weight gain. In addition, weight gain wasn’t identified as a side effect of concern during clinical development of this monoclonal antibody.

When it comes to weight, however, patients treated with Taltz are advised to keep an eye on any weight loss. Treatment with Taltz can lead to new or worsening symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which can include weight loss. Taltz also affects your immune system and its ability to fight infections, so patients treated with this monoclonal antibody are also reminded to keep an eye on any weight loss, which could be a sign of infection. This is especially true if the weight loss is accompanied by other common signs of infection, including fever, sweats, chills or muscle aches.

Why might people wonder about a link between body weight and Taltz?

Taltz is used to treat ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation and moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, an immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) of the skin. Studies have shown that obese people are at increased risk of developing psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. While patients will know that their psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are associated with inflammation, many people may not realize that obesity is too - a fact which helps explain the link between the conditions.

The link between obesity and psoriasis isn’t just applicable to adult patients either. Children with psoriasis were found to be much more likely to be overweight or obese in one international study.

While research indicates that being obese puts you at higher risk of developing psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, the relationship between the conditions isn’t just one way street. Patients with psoriasis tend to do less exercise, for example. Many patients with psoriasis report reducing or stopping physical activities and it is thought that this may be due to how people feel about their bodies. Psoriatic arthritis can also make it more difficult to exercise, as can flare-ups of ankylosing spondylitis.

Taltz safe and effective regardless of body weight

While body weight can impact how well some drug treatments work, researchers have found that treatment with Taltz is safe and effective regardless of a patient's body weight.