Selarsdi (Ustekinumab-Aekn) for Psoriasis

Overview
Selarsdi is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PsO) in adults and children ages 6 and up who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy. To be eligible, a person must have symptoms that are not adequately managed by topical treatments or light therapy alone. Selarsdi is a biosimilar to Stelara (ustekinumab), which means it has no clinically meaningful differences from Stelara in terms of safety, purity, and potency. Selarsdi is also known by its drug name, ustekinumab-aekn.

Selarsdi belongs to a class of medications known as interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23 antagonists. It works by blocking these proteins, which are involved in inflammation and immune system responses, to help reduce the symptoms of psoriasis.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Selarsdi is administered as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection. The dosing schedule depends on body weight. Generally, the medication is administered at an initial dose, followed by a second dose four weeks later and then every 12 weeks. Selarsdi should be administered exactly as prescribed by a health care provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Selarsdi include nasopharyngitis (common cold), upper respiratory tract infections, headaches, and fatigue.

Rare but serious side effects may include infections (such as tuberculosis or serious bacterial infections), malignancies (cancers), hypersensitivity reactions (such as anaphylaxis), noninfectious pneumonia, and a condition called posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), which affects brain function. 

For more information about this treatment, visit:

Selarsdi (Ustekinumab-Aekn) Injection, for Subcutaneous Use — U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Selarsdi — Drugs.com