WEZLANA is indicated for the treatment of:
When WEZLANA becomes commercially available, the WEZLANA Co-Pay Program may help eligible patients with commercial insurance lower their out-of-pocket costs.
*Eligibility criteria and program maximums apply. See full Terms and Conditions.
Medicare and Medicaid patients are not eligible for the WEZLANA Co-Pay Program. Your patients may find the resources below helpful:
Uninsured or underinsured patients are not eligible for the WEZLANA Co-Pay Program.
WEZLANA is contraindicated in patients with clinically significant hypersensitivity to ustekinumab products or to any of the excipients.
Ustekinumab products may increase the risk of infections and reactivation of latent infections. Serious bacterial, mycobacterial, fungal, and viral infections requiring hospitalization or otherwise clinically significant infections were reported. In patients with plaque psoriasis, these included diverticulitis, cellulitis, pneumonia, appendicitis, cholecystitis, sepsis, osteomyelitis, viral infections, gastroenteritis, and urinary tract infections. In patients with psoriatic arthritis, this included cholecystitis. In patients with Crohn’s disease, these included anal abscess, gastroenteritis, ophthalmic herpes zoster, pneumonia, and Listeria meningitis. In patients with ulcerative colitis, these included gastroenteritis, ophthalmic herpes zoster, pneumonia, and listeriosis.
Treatment with WEZLANA should not be initiated in patients with a clinically important active infection until the infection resolves or is adequately treated. Consider the risks and benefits of treatment prior to initiating use of WEZLANA in patients with a chronic infection or a history of recurrent infection. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms suggestive of an infection occur while on treatment with WEZLANA and discontinue WEZLANA for serious or clinically significant infections until the infection resolves or is adequately treated.
Individuals genetically deficient in IL-12/IL-23 are particularly vulnerable to disseminated infections from mycobacteria, Salmonella, and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccinations. Serious infections and fatal outcomes have been reported in such patients. It is not known whether patients with pharmacologic blockade of IL-12/IL-23 from treatment with ustekinumab products may be susceptible to these types of infections. Consider diagnostic testing, eg, tissue culture, stool culture, as dictated by clinical circumstances.
Evaluate patients for TB prior to initiating treatment with WEZLANA. Do not administer WEZLANA to patients with active tuberculosis infection. Initiate treatment of latent TB before administering WEZLANA. Closely monitor patients receiving WEZLANA for signs and symptoms of active TB during and after treatment.
Ustekinumab products are immunosuppressants and may increase the risk of malignancy. Malignancies were reported among patients who received ustekinumab in clinical trials. The safety of ustekinumab products has not been evaluated in patients who have a history of malignancy or who have a known malignancy. There have been reports of the rapid appearance of multiple cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas in patients receiving ustekinumab products who had risk factors for developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). All patients receiving WEZLANA, especially those >60 years or those with a history of PUVA or prolonged immunosuppressant treatment, should be monitored for the appearance of NMSC.
Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema, have been reported with ustekinumab products. If an anaphylactic or other clinically significant hypersensitivity reaction occurs, institute appropriate therapy and discontinue WEZLANA.
Two cases of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), also known as Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome (RPLS), were reported in clinical trials. Cases have also been reported in postmarketing experience in patients with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and Crohn’s disease. Clinical presentation included headaches, seizures, confusion, visual disturbances, and imaging changes consistent with PRES a few days to several months after ustekinumab product initiation. A few cases reported latency of a year or longer. Patients recovered with supportive care following withdrawal of ustekinumab products.
Monitor all patients treated with WEZLANA for signs and symptoms of PRES. If PRES is suspected, promptly administer appropriate treatment and discontinue WEZLANA.
Prior to initiating therapy with WEZLANA, patients should receive all age-appropriate immunizations as recommended by current immunization guidelines. Patients being treated with WEZLANA should not receive live vaccines. BCG vaccines should not be given during treatment with WEZLANA or for one year prior to initiating treatment or one year following discontinuation of treatment. Caution is advised when administering live vaccines to household contacts of patients receiving WEZLANA because of the potential risk for shedding from the household contact and transmission to patient. Non-live vaccinations received during a course of WEZLANA may not elicit an immune response sufficient to prevent disease.
In clinical studies of psoriasis, the safety of ustekinumab products in combination with other biologic immunosuppressive agents or phototherapy was not evaluated. Ultraviolet-induced skin cancers developed earlier and more frequently in mice genetically manipulated to be deficient in both IL-12 and IL-23 or IL-12 alone.
Cases of interstitial pneumonia, eosinophilic pneumonia, and cryptogenic organizing pneumonia have been reported during post-approval use of ustekinumab products. Clinical presentations included cough, dyspnea, and interstitial infiltrates following one to three doses. Serious outcomes have included respiratory failure and prolonged hospitalization. Patients improved with discontinuation of therapy and, in certain cases, administration of corticosteroids. If diagnosis is confirmed, discontinue WEZLANA and institute appropriate treatment.
Ustekinumab products may decrease the protective effect of allergen immunotherapy (decrease tolerance) which may increase the risk of an allergic reaction to a dose of allergen immunotherapy. Therefore, caution should be exercised in patients receiving or who have received allergen immunotherapy, particularly for anaphylaxis.
Please see the accompanying WEZLANA full Prescribing Information, including Medication Guide.
WEZLANA is indicated for the treatment of patients 6 years or older with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.
WEZLANA is indicated for the treatment of patients 6 years or older with active psoriatic arthritis.
WEZLANA is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease.
WEZLANA is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.
WHAT IS WEZLANA™ (ustekinumab-auub)?
WEZLANA is a prescription medicine used to treat:
WEZLANA is contraindicated in patients with clinically significant hypersensitivity to ustekinumab products or to any of the excipients.
STELARA® is a registered trademark of Janssen Biotech, Inc.
WEZLANA is a trademark of Amgen Inc.
References: 1. Amgen Biosimilars. Worldwide biologics leader. https://www.amgenbiosimilars.com/heritage/worldwide-biologics-leader. Accessed July 16, 2024. 2. Amgen. Amgen history. https://www.amgen.com/about/amgen-history. Accessed August 21, 2024. 3. Amgen prescribing information, Immunex Corporation, Thousand Oaks, Calif. October 2023. 4. Data on file, Amgen; [1]; 2024. 5. US Food and Drug Administration. Biosimilar product information. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/biosimilars/biosimilar-product-information. Accessed June 14, 2024. 6. Data on file, Amgen; [2]; 2024. 7. Amgen. Significant investments. https://www.amgenbiosimilars.com/commitment/significant-investments. Accessed June 24, 2024. 8. Amgen. Our pipeline. https://www.amgenbiosimilars.com/products/our-pipeline. Accessed June 24, 2024.
This material is for discussion and informational purposes only. WEZLANA is currently not available commercially and will be commercially available in the US no later than January 1, 2025.