Cosentyx (secukinumab) is an immunosuppressant injection that reduces the effects of a chemical substance in the body that can cause inflammation. The FDA has approved use of Cosentyx to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (raised, silvery flaking of the skin) in patients over 6 years old. It is also FDA approved for ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis in adults, active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) in adults, moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in adults, and active enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) in patients who are 4 years and older.

Cosentyx is available as subcutaneous injection (an injection that goes under the skin) that comes in three different forms.

• Cosentyx single use vial is for health care professional use only and is not for patient self administration.
• Cosentyx Sensoready Pen and Cosentyx prefilled syringes are for patients to self inject under the skin. The first time this is used, it should be under the supervision of your health professional, while they are teaching you how to inject yourself properly

Cosentyx is also available as an intravenous Infusion which is only for use by a healthcare professional in a healthcare setting.

Where do you inject Cosentyx?

• It is recommended that you inject into the front of your thighs, which is the top part of your leg between your knee and hip, which is right in front of you when you are sitting down on a chair.
• You can also use the lower part of the abdomen but not around your belly button, your injection needs to be at least 2 inches away from you belly button.
• If you have someone else giving you your injection they can also use the outer area of the upper arm.
• You should only inject into clear, healthy skin. Do NOT inject into any areas that are bruised, tender, red, scaly or hard. You should also NOT inject into any scars, stretch marks or areas of psoriasis.

How do you inject a Cosentyx Sensoready Pen?

Handy tips

• You can take the Cosentyx Sensoready pen out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes to 30 minutes before injection time, this way it will warm up to room temperature and will be more comfortable to inject.
• DO NOT SHAKE the Cosentyx Sensoready Pen before use.

Step 1 Get everything you need ready: your pen, alcohol wipe, cotton ball and sharps disposal container.

Step 2 Wash your hands before you start, then clean the injection site with an alcohol wipe and let the area dry.

Step 3 Check liquid through the viewing window of the Cosentyx Sensoready Pen, it should be clear and colorless or slightly yellow. If it is discolored, cloudy or you can see particles in the liquid then DO NOT USE IT.

Step 4 Twist off the cap and discard the cap right away. Hold the pen in a fist grip.

Step 5 Hold the pen 90 degrees to the skin and press the pen firmly against your skin. The pen will click twice. The first click means the injection has started, and you need to keep holding the pen firmly in place. The second click means that the injection has almost finished but you need to still hold the pen in place until all the medicine has dispensed. The medicine has finished dispensing when the green indicator fills the window and has stopped moving.

Step 6 You can now remove the pen from your skin.

Step 7 Press the cotton ball against the injection site for a short period of time and then place a small adhesive bandage over the injection site if required.

Step 8 Throw away the used Cosentyx Sensoready Pen in your sharps disposal container.

Each Cosentyx Sensoready Pen is a 150mg dose of Cosentyx.

• If your dose is 150mg Cosentyx then you use one Cosentyx Sensoready Pen.
• If your dose is 300mg Cosentyx you need to use two Cosentyx Sensoready Pens.
• For 300mg Cosentyx dose use the first pen and then repeat the steps with the second pen.

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How do you inject a Cosentyx prefilled syringe?

Handy tips

• You can take the carton containing Cosentyx prefilled injection out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes to 30 minutes before injection time, this way it will warm up to room temperature and will be more comfortable to inject.
• DO NOT SHAKE the Cosentyx prefilled syringe before use.

Step 1 Get everything you need ready: the Cosentyx prefilled syringe, your alcohol wipe, cotton ball and sharps disposal container.

Step 2 Wash your hands before you start, then clean the injection site with an alcohol wipe and let the area dry.

Step 3 Take the prefilled syringe from the outer carton and remove it from the blister packet . Check the liquid inside the prefilled syringe, the liquid should be clear and colorless or slightly yellow. If it is discolored, cloudy or you can see particles in the liquid then DO NOT USE IT.

Step 4 Remove the needle cap from the Cosentyx prefilled syringe and throw it away.

Step 5 Hold the prefilled syringe in one hand then with the other hand gently pinch the skin at the injection site to form a small bump of skin. Then insert the needle into the small bump, making sure you push the needle in all the way.

Step 6 Now put your first two fingers on the finger grips of the syringe and slowly with your thumb completely push down the plunger as far as it can go. Once it is fully depressed (the plunger head should finish completely between the syringe guard wings) you should leave the injection in place for another 5 seconds to make sure all of the medicine has been injected.

Step 7 Keeping the plunger pushed in, you can now remove the injection from your skin. Once the injection has been removed from the skin, the plunger can be slowly released which allows the syringe guard to cover the needle.

Step 8 Press the cotton ball against the injection site for a short period of time and then place a small adhesive bandage over the injection site if required.

Step 9 Throw away the used Cosentyx prefilled syringe into your sharps disposal container.

Each Cosentyx prefilled syringe contains 150mg dose of Cosentyx.

• If your dose is 150mg Cosentyx you use one Cosentyx prefilled syringe
• If your dose is 300mg Cosentyx you need to use two Cosentyx prefilled syringes.
• For 300mg Cosentyx dose, use the first prefilled syringe and then repeat the steps with the second prefilled syringe.

Bottom line:

• Cosentyx can be injected into the top of the thighs or the lower abdomen excluding two inches around the belly button. If someone else is injecting Cosentyx for you, they can inject it into the outer area of the upper arms.
• Cosentyx single use vial is to be given by a health professional.
• Cosentyx Sensoready Pen and Cosentyx prefilled syringes can be self administered by the patient. The first time the injection is administered it should be under the supervision of your health professional, as they teach you how to inject yourself properly.
• It is important to follow storage and administration instructions fully.

For more information on how to administer Cosentyx with diagrams see Cosentyx Patient Counseling information

References

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Cosentyx  Product Label

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See also:

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