How fast does Bimzelx work?
Bimzelx (bimekizumab) starts working to improve psoriasis and arthritis symptoms for most people within the first 4 weeks of treatment. However, it can take longer before you notice the full effects of this medication. Most people who take Bimzelx achieve completely clear or almost clear skin by 16 weeks of treatment.
What is Bimzelx used for?
Bimzelx (bimekizumab) is a monoclonal antibody that may be used to treat a variety of autoimmune conditions:
- Moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (for patients who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy)
- Active psoriatic arthritis
- Active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with objective signs of inflammation
- Active ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
- Moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)
How often is Bimzelx given?
Bimzelx is available as prefilled syringes and autoinjectors. It’s given as an injection under the skin every 4-8 weeks after the first doses (dosing schedule is dependent on the specific condition being treated). Your first injection should be given under the supervision of a healthcare professional, and you should receive training on proper injection technique.
If you forget to take your dose of Bimzelx, inject your dose as soon as you remember. Then, take the next dose at the scheduled time.
Where can you inject Bimzelx?
It is recommended to inject Bimzelx under the skin on your stomach (2-inches away from your belly button) or your thigh. If you are having Bimzelx injected by a healthcare professional or caregiver, they may also inject it into the back of your upper arm.
Avoid injecting Bimzelx into areas that are bruised, red, tender, hard, or affected by psoriasis. Also, rotate the injection sites to allow the skin to heal.
How does Bimzelx work?
Bimzelx attaches to interleukin 17A (IL-17A), interleukin 17F (IL-17F), and interleukin 17-AF, which are all signaling proteins involved in psoriasis. It prevents these proteins from attaching to their receptors and promoting the release of inflammatory substances in the body. This helps reduce symptoms such as redness, itching, and pain.
How long does Bimzelx take to work?
For most approved conditions, Bimzelx takes a few weeks to work after starting treatment.
Related questions
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Psoriasis
- In clinical studies (Trial-Ps-1 and Trial-Ps-2), about 1 out of 2 patients had almost complete skin clearance after 4 weeks of treatment. Even more patients had their psoriasis symptoms reduced by 75% at this time.
- Studies have shown that patients who take Bimzelx have a high chance of achieving 60% to 85% of clearance of psoriasis after taking it for 10-16 weeks.
- At 16 weeks, 85-91% of patients taking Bimzelx had at least a 90% reduction in psoriasis symptoms from when they started treatment. What’s more, 59-68% of patients had completely clear skin after 16 weeks of treatment.
Psoriatic Arthritis
- First effects: Some joint relief is seen after just four weeks; nearly half of patients realize meaningful improvement by week 16.
- At 52 weeks: Over half maintain at least 50% reduction in joint symptoms.
Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
- About half of patients reported at least a 40% reduction in symptoms at 16 weeks, with some showing improvement within the first 2 weeks.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
- About 45% of patients reported at least a 40% reduction in symptoms at 16 weeks, with some showing improvement within the first 2 weeks.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Significant reduction in pain and draining tunnel count may be seen by week 16; some report a 50% reduction as soon as two weeks.
Do I need to keep Bimzelx in the refrigerator?
Store Bimzelx in the refrigerator in its original carton to protect it from light. Do not freeze it because this could damage the medication. If you need to take Bimzelx out of the refrigerator, you can store it in the original carton for up to 30 days. After this time, it must be thrown away. Once you have stored the medication at room temperature, do not place it back in the refrigerator.
This is not all the information you need to know about Bimzelx (bimekizumab) for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full product information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.
References
- Bimzelx [package insert]. (Updated June 2025). UCB, Inc. Accessed August 13, 2025 at https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=26b88358-871f-4c80-9d80-b2fb16477f81
- Camiña-Conforto, G., et. al. (2023). Bimekizumab in the Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis: Focus on Patient Selection and Perspectives. In: Patient Preference and Adherence. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S350760
- Coates, L. C., Landewé, R., McInnes, I. B., Mease, P. J., Ritchlin, C. T., Tanaka, Y., Asahina, A., Behrens, F., Gladman, D. D., Gossec, L., Orbai, A. M., Gottlieb, A. B., Warren, R. B., Ink, B., Bajracharya, R., Shende, V., Coarse, J., & Merola, J. F. (2024). Bimekizumab treatment in patients with active psoriatic arthritis and prior inadequate response to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors: 52-week safety and efficacy from the phase III BE COMPLETE study and its open-label extension BE VITAL. RMD open, 10(1), e003855. https://doi.org/10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003855
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Drug information
- Bimzelx Information for Consumers
- Bimzelx prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side Effects of Bimzelx (detailed)
- Bimzelx user reviews (30)
Related support groups
- Bimzelx (2 questions, 3 members)
- Plaque Psoriasis (92 questions, 69 members)