Source: European Medicines Agency (EU) Revision Year: 2023 Publisher: Janssen-Cilag International NV, Turnhoutseweg 30, B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
Clinically important, active infection (e.g. active tuberculosis; see section 4.4).
In order to improve the traceability of biological medicinal products, the tradename and the batch number of the administered product should be clearly recorded.
Ustekinumab may have the potential to increase the risk of infections and reactivate latent infections. In clinical studies and a post-marketing observational study in patients with psoriasis, serious bacterial, fungal, and viral infections have been observed in patients receiving STELARA (see section 4.8).
Opportunistic infections including reactivation of tuberculosis, other opportunistic bacterial infections (including atypical mycobacterial infection, listeria meningitis, pneumonia legionella, and nocardiosis), opportunistic fungal infections, opportunistic viral infections (including encephalitis caused by herpes simplex 2), and parasitic infections (including ocular toxoplasmosis) have been reported in patients treated with ustekinumab.
Caution should be exercised when considering the use of STELARA in patients with a chronic infection or a history of recurrent infection (see section 4.3).
Prior to initiating treatment with STELARA, patients should be evaluated for tuberculosis infection. STELARA must not be given to patients with active tuberculosis (see section 4.3). Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection should be initiated prior to administering STELARA. Anti-tuberculosis therapy should also be considered prior to initiation of STELARA in patients with a history of latent or active tuberculosis in whom an adequate course of treatment cannot be confirmed. Patients receiving STELARA should be monitored closely for signs and symptoms of active tuberculosis during and after treatment.
Patients should be instructed to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms suggestive of an infection occur. If a patient develops a serious infection, the patient should be closely monitored and STELARA should not be administered until the infection resolves.
Immunosuppressants like ustekinumab have the potential to increase the risk of malignancy. Some patients who received STELARA in clinical studies and in a post-marketing observational study in patients with psoriasis developed cutaneous and non-cutaneous malignancies (see section 4.8). The risk of malignancy may be higher in psoriasis patients who have been treated with other biologics during the course of their disease.
No studies have been conducted that include patients with a history of malignancy or that continue treatment in patients who develop malignancy while receiving STELARA. Thus, caution should be exercised when considering the use of STELARA in these patients.
All patients, in particular those greater than 60 years of age, patients with a medical history of prolonged immunosuppressant therapy or those with a history of PUVA treatment, should be monitored for the appearance of non-melanoma skin cancer (see section 4.8).
Serious hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in the postmarketing setting, in some cases several days after treatment. Anaphylaxis and angioedema have occurred. If an anaphylactic or other serious hypersensitivity reaction occurs, appropriate therapy should be instituted and administration of STELARA should be discontinued (see section 4.8).
Infusion-related reactions:
Infusion-related reactions were observed in clinical trials (see section 4.8). Serious infusion-related reactions including anaphylactic reactions to the infusion have been reported in the post-marketing setting. If a serious or life-threatening reaction is observed, appropriate therapy should be instituted and ustekinumab should be discontinued.
Cases of allergic alveolitis, eosinophilic pneumonia, and non-infectious organising pneumonia have been reported during post-approval use of ustekinumab. Clinical presentations included cough, dyspnoea, and interstitial infiltrates following one to three doses. Serious outcomes have included respiratory failure and prolonged hospitalisation. Improvement has been reported after discontinuation of ustekinumab and also, in some cases, administration of corticosteroids. If infection has been excluded and diagnosis is confirmed, discontinue ustekinumab and institute appropriate treatment (see section 4.8).
Cardiovascular events including myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accident have been observed in patients with psoriasis exposed to STELARA in a post-marketing observational study. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease should be regularly assessed during treatment with STELARA.
It is recommended that live viral or live bacterial vaccines (such as Bacillus of Calmette and Guérin (BCG)) should not be given concurrently with STELARA. Specific studies have not been conducted in patients who had recently received live viral or live bacterial vaccines. No data are available on the secondary transmission of infection by live vaccines in patients receiving STELARA. Before live viral or live bacterial vaccination, treatment with STELARA should be withheld for at least 15 weeks after the last dose and can be resumed at least 2 weeks after vaccination. Prescribers should consult the Summary of Product Characteristics for the specific vaccine for additional information and guidance on concomitant use of immunosuppressive agents post-vaccination.
Administration of live vaccines (such as the BCG vaccine) to infants exposed in utero to ustekinumab is not recommended for six months following birth or until ustekinumab infant serum levels are undetectable (see sections 4.5 and 4.6). If there is a clear clinical benefit for the individual infant, administration of a live vaccine might be considered at an earlier timepoint, if infant ustekinumab serum levels are undetectable.
Patients receiving STELARA may receive concurrent inactivated or non-live vaccinations.
Long term treatment with STELARA does not suppress the humoral immune response to pneumococcal polysaccharide or tetanus vaccines (see section 5.1).
In psoriasis studies, the safety and efficacy of STELARA in combination with immunosuppressants, including biologics, or phototherapy have not been evaluated. In psoriatic arthritis studies, concomitant MTX use did not appear to influence the safety or efficacy of STELARA. In Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis studies, concomitant use of immunosuppressants or corticosteroids did not appear to influence the safety or efficacy of STELARA. Caution should be exercised when considering concomitant use of other immunosuppressants and STELARA or when transitioning from other immunosuppressive biologics (see section 4.5).
STELARA has not been evaluated in patients who have undergone allergy immunotherapy. It is not known whether STELARA may affect allergy immunotherapy.
In patients with psoriasis, exfoliative dermatitis has been reported following ustekinumab treatment (see section 4.8). Patients with plaque psoriasis may develop erythrodermic psoriasis, with symptoms that may be clinically indistinguishable from exfoliative dermatitis, as part of the natural course of their disease. As part of the monitoring of the patient’s psoriasis, physicians should be alert for symptoms of erythrodermic psoriasis or exfoliative dermatitis. If these symptoms occur, appropriate therapy should be instituted. STELARA should be discontinued if a drug reaction is suspected.
Cases of lupus-related conditions have been reported in patients treated with ustekinumab, including cutaneous lupus erythematosus and lupus-like syndrome. If lesions occur, especially in sun exposed areas of the skin or if accompanied by arthralgia, the patient should seek medical attention promptly. If the diagnosis of a lupus-related condition is confirmed, ustekinumab should be discontinued and appropriate treatment initiated.
No overall differences in efficacy or safety in patients age 65 and older who received STELARA were observed compared to younger patients in clinical studies in approved indications, however the number of patients aged 65 and older is not sufficient to determine whether they respond differently from younger patients. Because there is a higher incidence of infections in the elderly population in general, caution should be used in treating the elderly.
STELARA contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, i.e. essentially ‘sodium-free’. STELARA is however, diluted in sodium chloride 9 mg/mL (0.9%) solution for infusion. This should be taken into consideration for patients on a controlled sodium diet (see section 6.6).
Live vaccines should not be given concurrently with STELARA.
Administration of live vaccines (such as the BCG vaccine) to infants exposed in utero to ustekinumab is not recommended for six months following birth or until ustekinumab infant serum levels are undetectable (see sections 4.4 and 4.6). If there is a clear clinical benefit for the individual infant, administration of a live vaccine might be considered at an earlier timepoint, if infant ustekinumab serum levels are undetectable.
No interaction studies have been performed in humans. In the population pharmacokinetic analyses of the phase 3 studies, the effect of the most frequently used concomitant medicinal products in patients with psoriasis (including paracetamol, ibuprofen, acetylsalicylic acid, metformin, atorvastatin, levothyroxine) on pharmacokinetics of ustekinumab was explored. There were no indications of an interaction with these concomitantly administered medicinal products. The basis for this analysis was that at least 100 patients (> 5% of the studied population) were treated concomitantly with these medicinal products for at least 90% of the study period. The pharmacokinetics of ustekinumab was not impacted by concomitant use of MTX, NSAIDs, 6-mercaptopurine, azathioprine and oral corticosteroids in patients with psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, or prior exposure to anti-TNFα agents, in patients with psoriatic arthritis or Crohn’s disease or by prior exposure to biologics (i.e. anti-TNFα agents and/or vedolizumab) in patients with ulcerative colitis.
The results of an in vitro study do not suggest the need for dose adjustments in patients who are receiving concomitant CYP450 substrates (see section 5.2).
In psoriasis studies, the safety and efficacy of STELARA in combination with immunosuppressants, including biologics, or phototherapy have not been evaluated. In psoriatic arthritis studies, concomitant MTX use did not appear to influence the safety or efficacy of STELARA. In Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis studies, concomitant use of immunosuppressants or corticosteroids did not appear to influence the safety or efficacy of STELARA (see section 4.4).
Women of childbearing potential should use effective methods of contraception during treatment and for at least 15 weeks after treatment.
There are no adequate data from the use of ustekinumab in pregnant women. Animal studies do not indicate direct or indirect harmful effects with respect to pregnancy, embryonic/foetal development, parturition or postnatal development (see section 5.3). As a precautionary measure, it is preferable to avoid the use of STELARA in pregnancy.
Ustekinumab crosses the placenta and has been detected in the serum of infants born to female patients treated with ustekinumab during pregnancy. The clinical impact of this is unknown, however, the risk of infection in infants exposed in utero to ustekinumab may be increased after birth.
Administration of live vaccines (such as the BCG vaccine) to infants exposed in utero to ustekinumab is not recommended for 6 months following birth or until ustekinumab infant serum levels are undetectable (see sections 4.4 and 4.5). If there is a clear clinical benefit for the individual infant, administration of a live vaccine might be considered at an earlier timepoint, if infant ustekinumab serum levels are undetectable.
Limited data from published literature suggests that ustekinumab is excreted in human breast milk in very small amounts. It is not known if ustekinumab is absorbed systemically after ingestion. Because of the potential for adverse reactions in nursing infants from ustekinumab, a decision on whether to discontinue breast-feeding during treatment and up to 15 weeks after treatment or to discontinue therapy with STELARA must be made taking into account the benefit of breast-feeding to the child and the benefit of STELARA therapy to the woman.
The effect of ustekinumab on human fertility has not been evaluated (see section 5.3).
STELARA has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines.
The most common adverse reactions (>5%) in controlled periods of the adult psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis clinical studies with ustekinumab were nasopharyngitis and headache. Most were considered to be mild and did not necessitate discontinuation of study treatment. The most serious adverse reaction that has been reported for STELARA is serious hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis (see section 4.4). The overall safety profile was similar for patients with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
The safety data described below reflect exposure in adults to ustekinumab in 14 phase 2 and phase 3 studies in 6,709 patients (4,135 with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis, 1,749 with Crohn’s disease and 825 patients with ulcerative colitis). This includes exposure to STELARA in the controlled and non-controlled periods of the clinical studies for at least 6 months or 1 year (4,577 and 3,253 patients respectively with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) and exposure for at least 4 or 5 years (1,482 and 838 patients with psoriasis respectively).
Table 2 provides a list of adverse reactions from adult psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis clinical studies as well as adverse reactions reported from post-marketing experience. The adverse reactions are classified by System Organ Class and frequency, using the following convention: Very common (≥1/10), Common (≥1/100 to <1/10), Uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100), Rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000), Very rare (<1/10,000), not known (cannot be estimated from the available data). Within each frequency grouping, adverse reactions are presented in order of decreasing seriousness.
Table 2. List of adverse reactions:
| System Organ Class | Frequency: Adverse reaction |
|---|---|
| Infections and infestations | Common: Upper respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngitis, sinusitis Uncommon: Cellulitis, dental infections, herpes zoster, lower respiratory tract infection, viral upper respiratory tract infection, vulvovaginal mycotic infection |
| Immune system disorders | Uncommon: Hypersensitivity reactions (including rash, urticaria) Rare: Serious hypersensitivity reactions (including anaphylaxis, angioedema) |
| Psychiatric disorders | Uncommon: Depression |
| Nervous system disorders | Common: Dizziness, headache Uncommon: Facial palsy |
| Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders | Common: Oropharyngeal pain Uncommon: Nasal congestion Rare: Allergic alveolitis, eosinophilic pneumonia Very rare: Organising pneumonia* |
| Gastrointestinal disorders | Common: Diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting |
| Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | Common: Pruritus Uncommon: Pustular psoriasis, skin exfoliation, acne Rare: Exfoliative dermatitis, hypersensitivity vasculitis Very rare: Bullous pemphigoid, cutaneous lupus erythematosus |
| Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders | Common: Back pain, myalgia, arthralgia Very rare: Lupus-like syndrome |
| General disorders and administration site conditions | Common: Fatigue, injection site erythema, injection site pain Uncommon: Injection site reactions (including haemorrhage, haematoma, induration, swelling and pruritus), asthenia |
* See section 4.4, Systemic and respiratory hypersensitivity reactions.
In the placebo-controlled studies of patients with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the rates of infection or serious infection were similar between ustekinumab-treated patients and those treated with placebo. In the placebo-controlled period of these clinical studies, the rate of infection was 1.36 per patient-year of follow-up in ustekinumab-treated patients, and 1.34 in placebo-treated patients. Serious infections occurred at the rate of 0.03 per patient-year of follow-up in ustekinumab-treated patients (30 serious infections in 930 patient-years of follow-up) and 0.03 in placebo-treated patients (15 serious infections in 434 patient-years of follow-up) (see section 4.4).
In the controlled and non-controlled periods of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis clinical studies, representing 11,581 patient-years of exposure in 6,709 patients, the median follow-up was 1.0 years; 1.1 years for psoriatic disease studies, 0.6 year for Crohn’s disease studies and 1.0 years for ulcerative colitis studies. The rate of infection was 0.91 per patient-year of follow-up in ustekinumab-treated patients, and the rate of serious infections was 0.02 per patient-year of follow-up in ustekinumab-treated patients (199 serious infections in 11,581 patient-years of follow-up) and serious infections reported included pneumonia, anal abscess, cellulitis, diverticulitis, gastroenteritis and viral infections.
In clinical studies, patients with latent tuberculosis who were concurrently treated with isoniazid did not develop tuberculosis.
In the placebo-controlled period of the psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis clinical studies, the incidence of malignancies excluding non-melanoma skin cancer was 0.11 per 100 patient-years of follow-up for ustekinumab-treated patients (1 patient in 929 patient-years of follow-up) compared with 0.23 for placebo-treated patients (1 patient in 434 patient-years of follow-up). The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer was 0.43 per 100 patient-years of follow-up for ustekinumab-treated patients (4 patients in 929 patient-years of follow-up) compared to 0.46 for placebo-treated patients (2 patients in 433 patient-years of follow-up).
In the controlled and non-controlled periods of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis clinical studies, representing 11,561 patient-years of exposure in 6,709 patients, the median follow-up was 1.0 years; 1.1 years for psoriatic disease studies, 0.6 year for Crohn’s disease studies and 1.0 years for ulcerative colitis studies. Malignancies excluding non-melanoma skin cancers were reported in 62 patients in 11,561 patient-years of follow-up (incidence of 0.54 per 100 patientyears of follow-up for ustekinumab-treated patients). The incidence of malignancies reported in ustekinumab-treated patients was comparable to the incidence expected in the general population (standardised incidence ratio = 0.93 [95% confidence interval: 0.71, 1.20], adjusted for age, gender and race). The most frequently observed malignancies, other than non-melanoma skin cancer, were prostate, colorectal, melanoma and breast cancers. The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer was 0.49 per 100 patient-years of follow-up for ustekinumab-treated patients (56 patients in 11,545 patient-years of follow-up). The ratio of patients with basal versus squamous cell skin cancers (3:1) is comparable with the ratio expected in the general population (see section 4.4).
In Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis intravenous induction studies, no events of anaphylaxis or other serious infusion reactions were reported following the single intravenous dose. In these studies, 2.2% of 785 placebo-treated patients and 1.9% of 790 patients treated with the recommended dose of ustekinumab reported adverse events occurring during or within an hour of the infusion. Serious infusion-related reactions including anaphylactic reactions to the infusion have been reported in the post-marketing setting (see section 4.4).
The safety of ustekinumab has been studied in two phase 3 studies of paediatric patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The first study was in 110 patients from 12 to 17 years of age treated for up to 60 weeks and the second study was in 44 patients from 6 to 11 years of age treated for up to 56 weeks. In general, the adverse events reported in these two studies with safety data up to 1 year were similar to those seen in previous studies in adults with plaque psoriasis.
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system listed in Appendix V.
In the absence of compatibility studies, this medicinal product must not be mixed with other medicinal products. STELARA should only be diluted with sodium chloride 9 mg/mL (0.9%) solution. STELARA should not be administered concomitantly in the same intravenous line with other medicinal products.
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