Ilumya (tildrakizumab-asmn) is a prescription brand-name medication. It’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in certain adults.

Here are some fast facts about Ilumya:

If Ilumya helps treat your plaque psoriasis, your doctor will likely recommend that this medication for long-term use.

Like other drugs, Ilumya can cause side effects. Read on to learn about potential common, mild, and serious side effects. For a general overview of Ilumya, including details about its uses, see this article.

Ilumya can cause certain side effects, some of which are more common than others. These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. But if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

These are just a few of the more common side effects reported by people who used Ilumya in clinical trials:

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.

Mild side effects can occur with Ilumya. This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Ilumya’s prescribing information.

Mild side effects that have been reported with Ilumya include:

These side effects may be temporary, lasting a few days to weeks. But if the side effects last longer than that, bother you, or become severe, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks side effects of the medication. If you develop a side effect while using Ilumya and want to tell the FDA about it, visit MedWatch.

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.

Ilumya may cause serious side effects. The list below may not include all possible serious side effects of the drug. For more information, you can refer to Ilumya’s prescribing information.

If you develop serious side effects while using Ilumya, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Serious side effects that have been reported with Ilumya and their possible symptoms include:

* For more information about this side effect, see “Side effect specifics” below.

Ilumya may cause several side effects. Here are some frequently asked questions about the drug’s side effects and their answers.

How can I help prevent infection with Ilumya?

During your Ilumya treatment, you can try to help prevent infection by eating healthy, exercising, and getting a good night’s sleep. Although simple, these tips can help keep your immune system strong. (Your immune system is your body’s defense against infection.)

While you use Ilumya, you may be at an increased risk of infection. The drug may weaken your immune system to ease symptoms of plaque psoriasis. If your immune system isn’t as strong as usual, it may not be able to fight off infection.

You can also help prevent infection by making sure your vaccines are up to date. This can include getting a yearly flu shot. Your doctor can tell you if you need any vaccines.

However, you should avoid live vaccines (such as the chickenpox vaccine) during your treatment. Live vaccines have a small amount of bacterium or virus in them. Because Ilumya may weaken your immune system, you could develop an infection from a live vaccine. To learn more, see this article.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about the best ways to avoid infection during your Ilumya treatment.

Are there medications to help prevent injection site reactions with Ilumya?

Yes, some medications may help prevent injection site reactions with Ilumya. These drugs are known as premedications.

Various drugs and remedies may help ease injection site reactions such as pain, swelling, or itching. To learn more, see “Side effect specifics” below.

It’s important to note that the manufacturer of Ilumya doesn’t have any recommendations about taking medications to help prevent injection site reactions.

If you experience injection site reactions often, talk with your doctor. They may be able to suggest treatments that can help.

Learn more about some of the side effects that Ilumya may cause.

Injection site reactions

Ilumya is given as a subcutaneous injection. It’s possible to have reactions where you give yourself a dose of the medication. Injection site reactions were one of the most common side effects that people using Ilumya reported in clinical trials.

Examples of injection site reactions may include

  • redness or discoloration
  • itching
  • swelling
  • bruising
  • pain

What you can do

If you experience injection site reactions that occur with each injection or are very bothersome to you, talk with your doctor. They can advise you on ways to ease the side effects. For example, if you have swelling or pain, your doctor may recommend a cold compress at the injection site.

Your doctor may also suggest over-the-counter (OTC) options to treat your injection site reactions. For example, if Ilumya injections are painful, your doctor may recommend a cream or ointment to numb your skin beforehand. In some cases, they may also suggest an OTC medication. This could include acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain and diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for swelling or itching.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea may occur with Ilumya. This was one of the most common side effects that people using Ilumya had in clinical trials.

What you can do

If you experience diarrhea from Ilumya, talk with your doctor. If this side effect occurs frequently, your doctor will likely recommend that you stay hydrated. They may also be able to recommend medication to help ease your symptoms.

Serious infection

In very rare cases, people developed a serious infection (such as pneumonia) during Ilumya clinical trials. Although this side effect wasn’t common, you should be aware of possible symptoms, such as:

  • difficulty breathing
  • coughing
  • fever

Mild infections, including upper respiratory infections (such as a cold), were more common in people who used Ilumya.

What you can do

If you develop symptoms of an infection while using Ilumya, see your doctor. This is especially important if your symptoms are serious. If you have a serious infection, your doctor will likely monitor you more often than usual. They’ll want to see if your symptoms ease. In some cases, they may recommend that you stop using Ilumya until your condition improves.

Allergic reaction

As with most drugs, Ilumya can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:

  • skin rash
  • itching
  • flushing
  • swelling under your skin, typically in your lips, eyelids, feet, or hands
  • swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe

What you can do

For mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, call your doctor right away. They may recommend ways to ease your symptoms and determine whether you should keep using Ilumya. But if your symptoms are serious and you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

Be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history before you start Ilumya treatment. This drug may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. The conditions and factors to consider include:

Infection. Ilumya may weaken your immune system, which is your body’s defense against infection. If you use Ilumya and have an infection or get infections often, they may be harder to treat and more likely to occur.

If you currently have an infection, your doctor will likely recommend treating it before you start using Ilumya. If you have had infections that kept coming back, your doctor may monitor you more frequently than usual. Or they may recommend a different treatment option for you. Before you use Ilumya, talk with your doctor about any history of infection you have.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Ilumya or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Ilumya. Ask them what other medications may be better options for you.

Tuberculosis. If you have been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in the past, be sure to tell your doctor, even if it was treated. Before you start to use Ilumya, they may test you for TB. If your TB test is positive, your doctor may recommend that you wait to use Ilumya until the TB infection has been treated.

Alcohol use with Ilumya

Ilumya isn’t known to interact with alcohol. However, alcohol may weaken your immune system. Ilumya may also weaken your immune system. So, drinking alcohol while using the medication can further increase your risk of infections.

In addition, alcohol may also increase your risk of inflammation, which may worsen your plaque psoriasis.

If you’re using Ilumya and would like to drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much, if any, is safe for you.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding while using Ilumya

Here’s some information about pregnancy, breastfeeding, and Ilumya.

Pregnancy. It’s not known if Ilumya is safe to use during pregnancy. However, the drug is believed to reach the placenta (an organ that grows in your womb while you’re pregnant). This means that the fetus will likely be exposed to it.

In animal trials, offspring born to animals given Ilumya while pregnant had a small increase in the risk of death. However, animal trials don’t always predict what may happen in humans.

If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor. They can review the risks and benefits of Ilumya with you.

Breastfeeding. It’s also not known if Ilumya is safe to use while breastfeeding. There’s no information about whether the drug is present in breast milk or what effects it may have on a child who is breastfed. In animal trials, Ilumya was present in breast milk. However, animal trials don’t always predict what may happen in humans.

If you’re breastfeeding or thinking about it, talk with your doctor before using Ilumya. They can advise you on the pros and cons of the medication.

You may experience side effects with Ilumya. Most side effects are mild, but it’s possible to have more serious side effects from this medication. Be sure to talk with your doctor if you have side effects that are bothersome or serious.

If you’d like to learn more about Ilumya, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can help answer any questions you have about side effects from using the medication.

Besides talking with your doctor, you can do some research on your own. These articles might help:

  • More information about Ilumya. For details about other aspects of Ilumya, refer to this article.
  • Drug comparison. You can learn how Ilumya compares with Tremfya, here. You can see how Ilumya compares with other drugs here.
  • A look at plaque psoriasis. For details about plaque psoriasis, see our psoriasis hub as well as this list of related articles.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.