Skyrizi: Uses, How It Works, and Common Side Effects

Living with chronic conditions can be challenging, but advancements in medicine are constantly offering new hope.

Skyrizi is a prescription medication that's helping many people manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Skyrizi was first FDA approved in 2019.

It may be used to treat plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis in adults.

Skyrizi is a biologic medicine that’s also called an interleukin-23 antagonist.

It works by attaching to the protein in the body called interleukin-23 or IL-23, which is involved in inflammation.

By blocking IL-23, Skyrizi helps reduce inflammation, which improves the symptoms related to psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.

After the first few doses, you only need to get Skyrizi every 8-12 weeks. It may be given as an intravenous infusion or injected under the skin.

For injections under the skin, it comes in prefilled pens, syringes, and cartridges for use with an on-body injector.

Common side effects of Skyrizi include upper respiratory infections, headache, injection site reactions, urinary tract infections, fungal skin infections, low red blood cells, fever, joint pain, back pain, and feeling tired.

This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Always consult with your healthcare provider.