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Erelzi Side Effects

Generic name: etanercept

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 18, 2025.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Erelzi Side Effects associated with etanercept. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Erelzi.

Applies to etanercept: subcutaneous solution.

Important warnings This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Subcutaneous route (solution; powder for solution)

Serious Infections: Patients treated with etanercept are at increased risk for developing serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or death.

Most patients who developed these infections were taking concomitant immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids.

Etanercept should be discontinued if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis.Reported Infections include: (1) Active tuberculosis, including reactivation of latent tuberculosis.

Patients with tuberculosis have frequently presented with disseminated or extrapulmonary disease.

Test patients for latent tuberculosis before etanercept use and during therapy.

Initiate treatment for latent infection prior to etanercept use. (2) Invasive fungal infections, including histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, blastomycosis, and pneumocystosis.

Patients with histoplasmosis or other invasive fungal infections may present with disseminated, rather than localized, disease.

Antigen and antibody testing for histoplasmosis may be negative in some patients with active infection.

Consider empiric anti-fungal therapy in patients at risk for invasive fungal infections who develop severe systemic illness. (3) Bacterial, viral, and other infections due to opportunistic pathogens, including Legionella and Listeria.The risks and benefits of treatment with etanercept should be carefully considered prior to initiating therapy in patients with chronic or recurrent infection.

Monitor patients closely for the development of signs and symptoms of infection during and after treatment with etanercept, including the possible development of tuberculosis in patients who tested negative for latent tuberculosis infection prior to initiating therapy.Malignancies: Lymphoma and other malignancies, some fatal, have been reported in children and adolescent patients treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers, including etanercept.

Subcutaneous route (solution)

Patients treated with etanercept products are at increased risk for infections, some progressing to serious infections leading to hospitalization or death.

These infections have included bacterial sepsis, tuberculosis, invasive fungal and other opportunistic infections, including Legionella and Listeria.

Evaluate for latent tuberculosis and treat if necessary prior to initiation of therapy.

Discontinue etanercept-szzs if a serious infection or sepsis occurs during treatment.

Lymphoma and other malignancies, some fatal, have been reported in children and adolescent patients treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers, including etanercept products.

Subcutaneous route (solution)

Serious Infections. Increased risk of serious infections leading to hospitalization or death, including tuberculosis (TB), bacterial sepsis, invasive fungal infections (such as histoplasmosis), and infections due to other opportunistic pathogens.Etanercept-ykro should be discontinued if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis during treatment.Perform test for latent TB; if positive, start treatment for TB prior to starting etanercept-ykro.Monitor all patients for active TB during treatment, even if initial latent TB test is negative.Malignancies. Lymphoma and other malignancies, some fatal, have been reported in children and adolescent patients treated with TNF blockers, including etanercept products.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check you or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Your body's ability to fight infection may be reduced while you are being treated with etanercept (the active ingredient contained in Erelzi) It is very important that you call your doctor at the first signs of any infection. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have fever, chills, cough or hoarseness, flu-like symptoms, lower back or side pain, painful or difficult urination, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

While you are being treated with etanercept, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Your child's vaccines need to be current before he or she begins using etanercept. Be sure to ask your child's doctor if you have any questions about this.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. This can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth after you receive the medicine.

You or your child will need to have a skin test for tuberculosis before you start using this medicine. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your home has ever had a positive reaction to a tuberculosis skin test.

This medicine may increase your risk of having a lupus-like syndrome or autoimmune hepatitis. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have a fever or chills, a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or weakness, light-colored stools, nausea, vomiting, upper right-sided abdominal or stomach pain, or yellow eyes and skin.

Serious skin reactions can occur during treatment with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chills, cough, diarrhea, fever, itching, joint or muscle pain, red skin lesions, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in your mouth or lips, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Serious nervous system problems, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, multiple sclerosis, demyelinating disease, and seizures have occurred rarely in people using this medicine. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about this.

A small number of people (including children and teenagers) who have used this medicine have developed certain types of cancer (eg, leukemia, lymphoma, skin cancer). Some patients also developed a rare type of cancer called lymphoma. Talk with your doctor if you or your child have unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, or groin, or unexplained weight loss. Also, check with your doctor right away if your skin has red, scaly patches, or raised bumps that are filled with pus.

Check with your doctor right away if you have trouble breathing, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, or sudden weight gain. These may be signs of a heart condition called congestive heart failure (CHF).

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes abatacept (Orencia®), anakinra (Kineret®), or cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®). Using any of them together with this medicine may increase your risk of having serious side effects.

Serious side effects of Erelzi

Along with its needed effects, etanercept may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking etanercept:

More common side effects

  • chills
  • cough
  • fever
  • sneezing
  • sore throat

Less common side effects

  • chest tightness
  • depression
  • fast heartbeat
  • frequent or painful urination
  • itching, pain, redness, or swelling on the skin
  • joint or muscle stiffness, tightness, or rigidity
  • stomach discomfort or pain

Incidence not known

  • bladder pain
  • blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
  • bloody, black, or tarry stools
  • blue-yellow color blindness
  • blurred vision
  • chest discomfort or pain
  • cloudy or bloody urine
  • confusion
  • dark urine
  • decreased urine output
  • decreased vision
  • diarrhea
  • difficult, irregular, troubled, or labored breathing (or difficulty with breathing gets worse)
  • difficulty with moving
  • dilated neck veins
  • double vision
  • extreme fatigue
  • eye pain
  • feeling sad or empty
  • fruit-like breath odor
  • general feeling of discomfort, illness, or weakness
  • generalized pain
  • heartburn
  • high blood pressure
  • inability to move the arms, legs, or facial muscles
  • indigestion
  • irregular heartbeat
  • joint or muscle pain
  • large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
  • lightheadedness
  • loss of consciousness
  • muscle tenderness
  • pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck
  • pain, redness, or swelling in the arm or leg
  • problems with bowel or bladder function
  • red skin lesions, often with a purple center
  • red, scaling, or crusted skin
  • seizures
  • severe and continuing nausea
  • severe numbness, especially on one side of the face or body
  • sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
  • swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs
  • tenderness
  • trouble concentrating
  • trouble sleeping
  • unexplained weight loss
  • unusual bleeding or bruising
  • unusual tiredness or weakness
  • vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
  • weight loss
  • yellow eyes or skin

Other side effects of Erelzi

Some side effects of etanercept may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common side effects

  • loss of energy or weakness
  • nausea
  • pain or burning in the throat
  • redness or itching, pain, or swelling at the injection site (under the skin)
  • runny or stuffy nose
  • stomach pain
  • vomiting

Less common side effects

  • bumps below the skin
  • dry eyes
  • dry mouth
  • hair loss or thinning
  • irritation or soreness of the mouth
  • itching, redness, or tearing of the eye
  • skin rash

Incidence not known

  • altered sense of taste
  • burning, crawling, itching, numb, prickling, “pins and needles”, or tingling feelings
  • feeling faint, dizzy, or lightheaded
  • feeling of warmth or heat
  • flushing or redness of the skin, especially on the face and neck
  • loss of appetite
  • sweating
  • weight gain

For healthcare professionals

Applies to etanercept: subcutaneous kit, subcutaneous solution.

General adverse events

The most commonly reported adverse reactions are injection site reactions (such as pain, swelling, itching, reddening and bleeding at the puncture site), infections (such as upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, bladder infections and skin infections), allergic reactions, development of autoantibodies, itching, and fever.[Ref]

Immunologic

Nervous system

Gastrointestinal

Cardiovascular

Dermatologic

Local

Hematologic

Ocular

Hypersensitivity

Oncologic

Hepatic

Genitourinary

Renal

Renal side effects including pyelonephritis have been reported. At least one case of necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis has been reported, in addition to a case of proliferative lupus nephritis.

Other

Respiratory

See also:

References

1. (2001) "Product Information. Enbrel (etanercept)." Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories

2. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics."

3. Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (2006) APPGuide online. Australian prescription products guide online. http://www.appco.com.au/appguide/default.asp

Frequently asked questions

Further information

Erelzi side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.