Consumer medicine information

Taltz

Ixekizumab

BRAND INFORMATION

Brand name

Taltz

Active ingredient

Ixekizumab

Schedule

S4

 

Consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflet

Please read this leaflet carefully before you start using Taltz.

SUMMARY CMI

TALTZ®

Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary

The full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about using this medicine, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

 This medicine is new or being used differently. Please report side effects. See the full CMI for further details.

1. Why am I using TALTZ?

TALTZ contains the active ingredient ixekizumab. TALTZ is used to treat plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (also known as radiographic axial spondyloarthritis) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

For more information, see Section 1. Why am I using TALTZ? in the full CMI.

2. What should I know before I use TALTZ?

Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to TALTZ or any of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI.

Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines, or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.

For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I use TALTZ? in the full CMI.

3. What if I am taking other medicines?

Some medicines may interfere with TALTZ and affect how it works.

A list of these medicines is in Section 3. What if I am taking other medicines? in the full CMI.

4. How do I use TALTZ?

  • TALTZ is given as an injection under your skin, known as a subcutaneous injection. Your first dose will be given by a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
  • Each autoinjector or syringe contains one dose of TALTZ (80mg). The first dose of TALTZ for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis is 160 mg (two 80mg injections). The dose of TALTZ for radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis is 80 mg (one injection).

More instructions can be found in Section 4. How do I use TALTZ? in the full CMI.

5. What should I know while using TALTZ?

Things you should do
  • Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using TALTZ.
  • Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked.
  • If you need to get vaccinated, tell your doctor you are taking TALTZ before you have the vaccination.
Things you should not do
  • Do not stop using TALTZ unless your doctor tells you to.
  • Do not use TALTZ if you think it has been frozen or exposed to excessive heat.
  • Do not use TALTZ if you notice that the autoinjector or syringe is damaged, or the medicine is cloudy, distinctly brown or has particles in it.
Looking after your medicine
  • TALTZ autoinjector or syringe is single use only.
  • Keep your unused TALTZ autoinjector or syringe in a fridge between 2°C to 8°C. Do not freeze or shake.
  • Keep TALTZ in the original package in order to protect it from light.

For more information, see Section 5. What should I know while using TALTZ? in the full CMI.

6. Are there any side effects?

Side effects include injection site reactions (e.g. red skin or pain); stomach pain or diarrhoea due to inflammatory bowel disease; upper respiratory tract infections with symptoms such as sore throat and stuffy nose. More serious side effects include allergic reactions; severe itching of the skin, with red rash or raised bumps.

For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section 6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI.

 This medicine is subject to additional monitoring. This will allow quick identification of new safety information. You can help by reporting any side effects you may get. You can report side effects to your doctor, or directly at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems.



FULL CMI

TALTZ®

Active ingredient: ixekizumab (phonetic pronunciation - ixe-kiz-u-mab)


Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)

This leaflet provides important information about using TALTZ. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information or if you have any concerns or questions about using TALTZ.

Where to find information in this leaflet:

1. Why am I using TALTZ?
2. What should I know before I use TALTZ?
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
4. How do I use TALTZ?
5. What should I know while using TALTZ?
6. Are there any side effects?
7. Product details

1. Why am I using TALTZ?

TALTZ contains the active ingredient ixekizumab. Ixekizumab is a monoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies are proteins that recognise and bind specifically to certain proteins in the body.

TALTZ belongs to a group of medicines called interleukin (IL) inhibitors. TALTZ works by neutralising the activity of the protein called IL-17A, which is present in high levels in psoriasis.

TALTZ is used to treat:

  • plaque psoriasis
  • psoriatic arthritis
  • ankylosing spondylitis (also known as radiographic axial spondyloarthritis)
  • non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

Plaque psoriasis is a skin condition caused by inflammation affecting the skin. TALTZ reduces inflammation and other symptoms of the disease, such as scaling, itching and pain. TALTZ is used in adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.

Psoriasis arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints, often accompanied by psoriasis. You will first be given other medicines to treat psoriasis arthritis but may be given TALTZ if you do not respond well to these medicines. TALTZ can be used alone or with other medicines, such as methotrexate.

Axial spondyloarthritis

  • Ankylosing spondyloarthritis (radiographic axial spondyloarthritis) is an inflammatory disease primarily affecting the spine which causes inflammation of the sacroiliac and spinal joints. This condition is visible with X-rays.
  • Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory disease primarily affecting the spine which causes inflammation of the sacroiliac and spinal joints. This condition is not visible with X-rays.

2. What should I know before I use TALTZ?

Warnings

Do not use TALTZ if:

  • you are allergic to ixekizumab, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine
  • if the product appears cloudy, discoloured, or contains particles
  • if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

Check with your doctor if you:

  • currently have an infection or have long-term or repeated infections
  • have tuberculosis. You may be tested for tuberculosis before you receive treatment with TALTZ
  • have ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease
  • are receiving any other treatment for psoriasis, such as immunosuppressant or phototherapy with ultraviolet (UV) light
  • have recently had a vaccination or if you are due to have a vaccination during treatment with TALTZ
  • take any medicines for any other condition.

During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects?

Vaccination

  • Tell your doctor about your vaccination history.
  • Live vaccines cannot be used while you are on TALTZ. You should consider completing all the immunisation required for your age group before starting on TALTZ.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

  • Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. The effects of TALTZ in pregnant women are not known.
  • Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed. It is not known if TALTZ is excreted in breastmilk.

Use in children

TALTZ has not been studied in patients under 18 years of age.

Use in elderly

TALTZ may be used in elderly patients aged 65 years and over.

This medicine is not addictive.

3. What if I am taking other medicines?

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you have recently had or are due to have a vaccination. You should not be given certain types of vaccines while using TALTZ.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins or supplements you are taking and if these affect TALTZ.

4. How do I use TALTZ?

TALTZ is given as an injection under your skin, known as subcutaneous injection.

You and your doctor, nurse or pharmacist should decide if you should inject TALTZ yourself.

Your first dose will be given by a doctor, nurse or pharmacist. It is important not to try to inject yourself until you have been trained by a doctor, nurse or pharmacist. A caregiver may also give you your TALTZ injection after proper training.

How much to use

Each autoinjector or syringe contains one dose of TALTZ (80 mg).

  • Plaque psoriasis:
    - the first dose of TALTZ for plaque psoriasis is 160 mg (two 80 mg injections), followed by 80 mg (one injection) at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12
    - after 12 weeks, your treatment will continue at 80 mg (one injection) every 4 weeks.
  • Psoriatic arthritis:
    - the first dose of TALTZ for psoriatic arthritis is 160 mg (two 80 mg injections), followed by 80 mg (one injection) every 4 weeks
    - if you have psoriatic arthritis with moderate to severe psoriasis, your first dose of TALTZ is 160 mg (two 80 mg injections), followed by 80 mg (one injection) at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12
    - after 12 weeks, your treatment will continue as 80 mg (one injection) every 4 weeks.
  • Axial spondyloarthritis (radiographic and non-radiographic):
    -the dose of TALTZ for axial spondyloarthritis is 80 mg (one injection) every 4 weeks.

You should inject the whole contents of the single use autoinjector or syringe.

When to use TALTZ

TALTZ is for long-term treatment. Your doctor, nurse or pharmacist will regularly monitor your condition to check that the treatment is having the desired effect.

Do not stop TALTZ just because you feel better. It is important that you do not stop using TALTZ unless your doctor tells you.

It is not dangerous to stop using TALTZ. However, if you stop, your psoriasis symptoms may come back.

How to use TALTZ

Read the instructions for use for the autoinjector or syringe carefully before using TALTZ.

If you forget to use TALTZ

If you have forgotten to inject a dose of TALTZ, inject the dose as soon as you remember, then talk to your doctor to discuss when you should inject the next dose.

If you use too much TALTZ

If you think that you have accidentally injected more TALTZ than you should, or sooner than according to your doctor prescription, you may need urgent medical attention.

You should immediately:

  • phone the Poisons Information Centre
    (by calling 13 11 26), or
  • contact your doctor, or
  • go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.

You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

5. What should I know while using TALTZ?

Things you should do

  • Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked.
  • Your doctor will do tests from time to time to make sure TALTZ is working and to prevent unwanted side effects.
  • If you need to get vaccinated, tell your doctor you are taking TALTZ before you have the vaccination. You should not be given a live vaccination while being treated with TALTZ.
  • Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using TALTZ.
  • While you are using TALTZ, tell your doctor or pharmacist before you start any new medicine.
  • Tell your doctor if you become pregnant or plan to breastfeed while using TALTZ.

Things you should not do

  • Do not use the medicine if you think it has been frozen or exposed to excessive heat. It may not work as well.
  • Do not use the medicine if you notice that the autoinjector or syringe is damaged, or the medicine is cloudy, distinctly brown or has particles in it.
  • Do not give your TALTZ to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you. You doctor has prescribed TALTZ specifically for you.

Looking after your medicine

  • A TALTZ autoinjector or syringe is for single use only.
  • Keep your unused TALTZ autoinjector or syringe in a fridge between 2°C to 8°C. Do not freeze or shake.
  • Do not use if it has been frozen.
  • Keep TALTZ in the original package in order to protect it from light.
  • If needed, the TALTZ autoinjector or syringe can be left out of the refrigerator for up to 5 days at a temperature not above 30°C, for example while travelling or transporting it from the pharmacy.

Follow the instructions in the carton on how to take care of your medicine properly.

Keep TALTZ where young children cannot reach it.

When to discard your medicine

After 5 days out of the refrigerator, the TALTZ autoinjector or syringe must be discarded.

Getting rid of any unwanted medicine

If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy for safe disposal.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.

  • Empty autoinjectors and syringes should be disposed of in a sharps container or similar puncture proof container composed pf hard plastic or glass.
  • Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist where you can dispose of the container once it is full.

6. Are there any side effects?

All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.

See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any further questions about side effects.

Less serious side effects

Less serious side effectsWhat to do
Injection site reactions:
  • red skin or pain
Infection:
  • upper respiratory tract infections with symptoms such as sore throat and stuffy nose
  • fever, sore throat or mouth ulcers
  • running nose
  • influenza
Fungal infection:
  • athlete's foot
  • oral thrush
Oropharyngeal related:
  • pain in the back of the throat
Eye related:
  • discharge from the eye with itching, redness and swelling
Gastrointestinal:
  • nausea (feeling sick)
  • stomach pain or diarrhoea due to inflammatory bowel disease (including ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease)*
Speak to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects and they worry you.

*New cases of inflammatory bowel disease or "flare-ups" can happen with TALTZ and can sometimes be serious. If you have inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease), tell your doctor if you have worsening symptoms during treatment, or develop new symptoms such as stomach pain or diarrhoea.

Serious side effects

Serious side effectsWhat to do
Signs of serious allergic reaction - signs may include:
  • difficulty in breathing or swallowing
  • swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat
  • severe itching of the skin, with red rash or raised bumps, hives
Call your doctor straight away, or go straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects.
Possible serious infections - signs may include:
  • fever, flu-like symptoms, night sweats
  • feeling tired or short of breath, cough which will not go away
  • warm, red and painful skin or painful skin rash with blisters
Stop using TALTZ and call your doctor immediately. You doctor will decide if and when you may restart treatment

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you feel unwell.

Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.

Reporting side effects

After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines.

7. Product details

This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.

What TALTZ contains

Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
Ixekizumab (rch)
Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
Sodium citrate dihydrate
Citric acid
Sodium chloride
Polysorbate 80
Water for injections

Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.

What TALTZ looks like

TALTZ is a clear solution for injection. Its colour may vary from colourless to slightly yellow.

TALTZ is available as a prefilled autoinjector (also known as a pen) (Aust R 253893) and a prefilled syringe (Aust R 253892), in pack sizes of 1 and 2.

Not all pack sizes may be available.

Who distributes TALTZ

Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd
Level 9, 60 Margaret Street
Sydney NSW 2000
www.lilly.com.au
Phone: 1800 454 559

This leaflet was prepared in March 2023

vA11.0

Published by MIMS May 2023

BRAND INFORMATION

Brand name

Taltz

Active ingredient

Ixekizumab

Schedule

S4

 

1 Name of Medicine

Ixekizumab (rch).

2 Qualitative and Quantitative Composition

Each prefilled pen (autoinjector) or prefilled syringe contains ixekizumab 80 mg/mL.
Taltz (ixekizumab (rch)) is a humanised immunoglobulin G subclass 4 (IgG4) monoclonal antibody (mAb) with neutralising activity against interleukin-17A (IL-17A). Taltz is produced by recombinant DNA technology in a recombinant mammalian cell line and purified using standard technology for bioprocessing. Ixekizumab is comprised of two identical light chain polypeptides of 219 amino acids each and two identical heavy chain polypeptides of 445 amino acids each.
For the full list of excipients, see Section 6.1 List of Excipients.

3 Pharmaceutical Form

Taltz is supplied as a solution for injection.
The Taltz solution is sterile, preservative free, clear and colourless to slightly yellow. The Taltz solution has a pH of 5.3 to 6.1. Taltz is administered as a subcutaneous (SC) injection. Taltz is for single use, therefore contains no antimicrobial preservative.
Taltz is available as a 1 mL single-dose prefilled pen (autoinjector) or a 1 mL single dose prefilled syringe. Each autoinjector or prefilled syringe is composed of ixekizumab (80 mg/mL).
The autoinjector and prefilled syringe each contain a 1 mL glass syringe with a fixed needle. The Taltz autoinjector and prefilled syringe are manufactured to deliver 80 mg of ixekizumab. Taltz is latex-free.

4 Clinical Particulars

4.1 Therapeutic Indications

Plaque psoriasis.

Taltz is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.

Psoriatic arthritis.

Taltz is indicated for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis in adult patients who have responded inadequately, or who are intolerant, to previous DMARD therapy.
Taltz may be used as monotherapy or in combination with a conventional DMARD (e.g. methotrexate).

Axial spondyloarthritis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (radiographic axial spondyloarthritis).

Taltz is indicated for the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis in adult patients.

Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

Taltz is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation as indicated by elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and/or MRI evidence, who have responded inadequately to, or are intolerant to, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

4.2 Dose and Method of Administration

Dosage.

Plaque psoriasis.

The recommended dose is 160 mg by SC injection (two 80 mg injections) at Week 0, followed by an 80 mg injection (one injection) every 2 weeks at Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12, then 80 mg (one injection) every 4 weeks.

Psoriatic arthritis.

The recommended dose is 160 mg by SC injection (two 80 mg injections) at Week 0, followed by 80 mg (one injection) every 4 weeks.
For psoriatic arthritis patients with coexistent moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, use the dosing regimen for plaque psoriasis.

Axial spondyloarthritis (radiographic and non-radiographic).

The recommended dose is 80 mg by subcutaneous injection every 4 weeks.
Conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARD) (e.g. sulfasalazine), corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and/or analgesics may be continued during treatment with ixekizumab.

Elderly patients (≥ 65 years).

No dose adjustment is required for elderly patients.

Renal impairment or hepatic impairment.

Taltz has not been studied in these patient populations. No dosage recommendations can be made.

Method of administration.

Taltz is for SC injection. After training in SC injection technique, a patient may self-inject with ixekizumab.
If possible, areas of the skin that show psoriasis should be avoided as injection sites.
Taltz is for single-use in one patient only. Discard any residue product.

Special precautions for handling.

The Instructions for Use included as a pack insert must be followed carefully.
Do not use Taltz if it has been frozen.

4.3 Contraindications

Taltz is contraindicated in patients with known serious hypersensitivity to ixekizumab or any of the excipients.

4.4 Special Warnings and Precautions for Use

Infections.

Taltz may increase the risk of infections. In clinical trials, a higher rate of infection such as upper respiratory tract infection, oral candidiasis, conjunctivitis and tinea infections were observed in Taltz-treated patients compared to placebo (see Section 4.8 Adverse Effects (Undesirable Effects)).
Taltz should be used with caution in patients with clinically important chronic or active infection. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms suggestive of an infection occur. If a patient develops a serious infection or is not responding to standard therapy the patient should be closely monitored. Taltz should be discontinued until the infection resolves.
Evaluate patients for tuberculosis (TB) infection prior to initiating treatment with Taltz. Do not administer Taltz to patients with active TB infection. Initiate treatment of latent TB prior to administering Taltz. Consider anti-TB therapy prior to initiation of Taltz in patients with a past history of latent or active TB in whom an adequate course of treatment cannot be confirmed. Patients receiving Taltz should be monitored closely for signs and symptoms of active TB during and after treatment.

Hypersensitivity.

Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including some cases of anaphylaxis, angioedema and urticaria, have been reported. If a serious hypersensitivity reaction occurs, administration of Taltz should be discontinued immediately and appropriate therapy initiated.

Inflammatory bowel disease.

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, including exacerbations, occurred at a greater frequency in the Taltz 80 mg Q2W group (Crohn's disease 0.1%, ulcerative colitis 0.2%) than the placebo group (0%) during the 12-week, placebo-controlled period of the psoriasis clinical trials.
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, including exacerbations, occurred in 2 patients (1.0%) and 1 patient (0.5%), respectively, in the Taltz 80 mg Q4W group and 1 patient (0.5%) and 0%, respectively, in the placebo group during the 16-week, placebo-controlled period of the ankylosing spondylitis clinical trials.
Exercise caution when prescribing Taltz to patients with inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, as new cases or exacerbations have been reported. Patients treated with Taltz and have inflammatory bowel disease should be monitored closely.

Immunisations.

Consider completion of all age appropriate immunisations according to current immunisation guidelines before commencing Taltz.
Taltz should not be used with live vaccines. No data are available on the response to live vaccines.
In a study in healthy subjects, no safety concerns were identified following administration of inactivated vaccines (tetanus and pneumococcal) after two doses of ixekizumab (160 mg followed by a second dose of 80 mg two weeks later). However, there is insufficient data on whether the immune response to these vaccines is adequate following administration of Taltz.

Use in the elderly.

Of the 4204 psoriasis patients exposed to Taltz in clinical trials, a total of 265 patients were aged ≥ 65 years and 34 patients were aged ≥ 75 years. Of the 1118 PsA patients exposed to Taltz in clinical trials, a total of 122 patients were aged ≥ 65 years and 6 patients were aged ≥ 75 years. Although no differences in safety or efficacy were observed between older and younger patients, the number of patients aged ≥ 65 years is not sufficient to determine whether they respond differently from younger patients. (See Section 5.2 Pharmacokinetic Properties, Special populations, Elderly patients (≥ 65 years)).

Paediatric use.

Safety and effectiveness of Taltz in paediatric patients (< 18 years of age) have not been evaluated.

Effects on laboratory tests.

No information on the effect of ixekizumab on laboratory tests is available.

4.5 Interactions with Other Medicines and Other Forms of Interactions

The safety of ixekizumab in combination with other immunomodulatory agents or phototherapy has not been evaluated.

Cytochrome P450 substrates.

Results from a drug-drug interaction study in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis determined that administration of ixekizumab with drugs metabolised by CYP3A4 (i.e. midazolam), CYP2C9 (i.e. warfarin), CYP2C19 (i.e. omeprazole), CYP1A2 (i.e. caffeine) or CYP2D6 (i.e. dextromethorphan) does not have a clinically significant impact on the pharmacokinetics of these drugs.
No interaction was seen when Taltz was administered concomitantly with methotrexate and/or corticosteroids in patients with psoriatic arthritis.
The clearance of ixekizumab was not affected by concomitant administration of oral corticosteroids, NSAIDs, or cDMARDs (i.e. sulfasalazine and methotrexate).

4.6 Fertility, Pregnancy and Lactation

Effects on fertility.

The effects of ixekizumab on human fertility have not been evaluated. In animal studies, ixekizumab did not indicate harmful effects with respect to fertility as assessed by a lack of effects on reproductive organs, menstrual cycles or sperm in sexually mature cynomolgus monkeys that received ixekizumab for 13 weeks at a weekly SC dose of 50 mg/kg (at least 50 times the human exposure at 80 mg every 2 weeks based on AUC). The monkeys were not mated to evaluate fertility.
(Category C)
There are no adequate and well controlled studies of Taltz in pregnant women to establish the safety of Taltz during pregnancy. The mechanism of action of ixekizumab suggests a theoretical risk that its use during pregnancy may affect neonatal immunity.
In developmental toxicity studies, SC administration of ixekizumab at doses up to 50 mg/kg once weekly to cynomolgus monkeys from the beginning of organogenesis through either near term pregnancy or until delivery of offspring, produced no embryotoxicity or teratogenicity, and no effects on offspring delivery, or on morphological, functional or immunological development of offspring from birth to 6 months of age. Ixekizumab was shown to cross the placenta and was present in the blood of offspring for up to 6 months of age.
Taltz should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the foetus.
It is not known whether ixekizumab is excreted in human milk or absorbed systemically after ingestion. In a pre-/postnatal development study, ixekizumab was excreted at low levels in the milk of cynomolgus monkeys that had been dosed with ixekizumab during pregnancy until delivery of offspring. Ixekizumab was present in the blood of offspring, due primarily to placental transfer. A decision should be made whether to discontinue breastfeeding or to discontinue Taltz, taking into account the benefit of breastfeeding for the child and the benefit of therapy for the woman.

4.7 Effects on Ability to Drive and Use Machines

There are no known effects on the ability to drive or use machines associated with the use of Taltz.

4.8 Adverse Effects (Undesirable Effects)

Clinical trials experience in plaque psoriasis.

A total of 4204 plaque psoriasis patients were treated with Taltz in clinical trials. Of these, 2190 patients were exposed to treatment with Taltz for at least one year.
Three placebo-controlled phase III trials (UNCOVER-1, UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3) in plaque psoriasis patients were integrated to evaluate the safety of Taltz in comparison to placebo up to 12 weeks. In two of the clinical trials (UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3), the safety of Taltz included a comparison to an active comparator, etanercept, up to 12 weeks after treatment initiation (see Section 5.1 Pharmacodynamic Properties, Clinical trials, Plaque psoriasis). In total, 3858 patients were evaluated (1167 to Taltz 80 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W), 1161 to Taltz 80 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W), 739 to etanercept 50 mg twice weekly group, and 791 to placebo group).
The most frequently reported adverse reactions were injection site reactions and upper respiratory tract infections (most frequently nasopharyngitis). Most of the reactions were mild or moderate in severity.
Adverse reactions that occurred at a rate of at least 1% and at a higher rate in the Taltz groups compared to the placebo group during the placebo-controlled 12-week period of UNCOVER-1, UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 are summarised in Table 1.
Adverse reactions that occurred at rates less than 1% in the placebo-controlled clinical trials UNCOVER-1, UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 through to week 12 included: influenza, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, urticaria, oral candidiasis and inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis).
In the two clinical trials that included etanercept (UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3), the rate of serious adverse events was 1.9% for both etanercept and Taltz, and the rate of discontinuation due to adverse events was 1.2% for etanercept and 2.0% for Taltz. The rate of infections was 21.5% for etanercept and 26.0% for Taltz, with the majority of events being mild to moderate in severity. The rate of serious infections was 0.4% for etanercept and 0.5% for Taltz.

Injection site reactions.

The most frequent injection site reactions observed were erythema and pain. These reactions were predominantly mild to moderate in severity and did not lead to discontinuation of Taltz.

Infections.

The majority of infections consisted of non-serious and mild to moderate adverse reactions such as nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infection, which did not necessitate treatment discontinuation.
In the placebo-controlled period of the phase III clinical trials in plaque psoriasis, infections were reported in 27.2% of patients treated with Taltz compared with 22.9% of patients treated with placebo.
Serious infections occurred in 13 (0.6%) patients treated with Taltz and in 3 (0.4%) patients treated with placebo (see Section 4.4 Special Warnings and Precautions for Use, Infections). Infection related serious adverse events (SAEs) reported by more than 1 patient in the Taltz-treated group were cellulitis (n = 3), appendicitis (n = 2) and erysipelas (n = 2). The proportion of patients who discontinued due to an infection related adverse reaction was similar in the total Taltz-treated group (n = 8 [0.3%]) and the placebo group (n = 2 [0.3%]).
Consistent with the mechanism of action, there was an increase in oral candidiasis. All, except one case, were mild or moderate in severity. No SAEs or discontinuations from treatment due to candidiasis were reported.
Overall, infections were reported in 52.8% of patients treated with Taltz (46.9 per 100 patient years) and serious infections were reported in 1.6% of patients treated with Taltz (1.5 per 100 patient years).

Laboratory assessment of neutropenia.

Neutropenia was observed in clinical trials. In general, neutropenia was transient and did not require discontinuation of Taltz, and was not associated with an increased rate of infections. In the placebo-controlled period of clinical trials, neutropenia ≥ grade 3 (< 1000 cells/mm3) was observed infrequently (0.1%) in patients receiving Taltz compared to etanercept (0.5%) and placebo (0.1%). The remaining cases of neutropenia were low grade, either grade 2 (2.0% for Taltz, 3.3% for etanercept and 0.3% for placebo; ≥ 1000 to < 1500 cells/mm3) or grade 1 (5.7% for Taltz, 9.0% for etanercept and 2.3% for placebo; ≥ 1500 cells/mm3 up to normal).

Immunogenicity.

In the psoriasis clinical trials, approximately 9% to 17% of patients treated with ixekizumab at the recommended dosing regimen developed anti-drug antibodies, the majority of which were low titre and not associated with reduced clinical response up to 60 weeks of treatment. However, approximately 1% of patients treated with Taltz had confirmed neutralising antibodies associated with low drug concentrations and reduced clinical response.

Clinical trials experience in psoriatic arthritis.

A total of 779 patients with active psoriatic arthritis were evaluated in two placebo-controlled phase III clinical trials SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2 (229 patients on Taltz 80 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W), 225 patients on Taltz 80 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W), 101 patients on adalimumab 40 mg every 2 weeks and 224 patients on placebo). See Table 2.
Adverse reactions that occurred in patients treated with ixekizumab at rates less than 1% in the placebo-controlled clinical trials SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2 through to week 24 included tinea and urticaria.
During the 24-week placebo-controlled period of SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-2, the proportion of patients with treatment-emergent adverse events was higher in the Taltz 80 mg Q4W group compared to the placebo group (67% and 57%, respectively). The rate of SAEs was 3.9% (Taltz 80 mg Q4W), 4.9% (Taltz 80 mg Q2W), 2.7% (placebo), and the discontinuation due to adverse events were 3.1% (Taltz 80 mg Q4W), 5.3% (Taltz 80 mg Q2W), 3.6% (placebo).

Infections.

In the double-blind treatment period of the phase III clinical studies in psoriatic arthritis, infections were reported in 32.8% of patients treated with Taltz for up to 24 weeks compared with 27.7% of patients treated with placebo. The majority of infections were non-serious and mild to moderate in severity, most of which did not necessitate treatment discontinuation. Serious infections occurred in 1.3% of patients treated with Taltz and in 0% of patients treated with placebo. Over the entire ixekizumab exposure treatment period, infections were reported in 37.2% of patients treated with Taltz (39.6 per 100 patient years). Serious infections were reported in 1.3% of patients treated with Taltz (1.4 per 100 patient years).

Laboratory assessment of neutropenia.

In psoriatic arthritis studies, 1.9% of patients receiving Taltz developed neutropenia. In most cases, the blood neutrophil count was ≥ 1,000 cells/mm3. Such levels of neutropenia may persist, fluctuate or be transient. 0.3% of patients receiving Taltz developed a neutrophil count < 1000 cells/mm3. In general, neutropenia did not require discontinuation of Taltz.

Immunogenicity.

In psoriatic arthritis patients treated with ixekizumab at the recommended dosing regimen up to 52 weeks, approximately 11% (n = 12) developed anti-drug antibodies, the majority of which were low titre. Approximately 8% (n = 8) had confirmed neutralising antibodies, which were first detected at Week 24 (n = 2), Week 32 (n = 2), Week 36 (n = 3) and Week 52 (n = 1). No apparent association between the presence of neutralising antibodies and impact on drug concentration or efficacy was observed.

Clinical trials experience in axial spondyloarthritis (radiographic and non-radiographic).

Taltz was studied in three placebo-controlled trials in patients with axial spondyloarthritis. A total of 868 patients were studied (574 patients on Taltz (Q2W and Q4W) and 294 on placebo). A total of 291 patients in these trials received Taltz 80 or 160 mg at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W). Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis treated with Taltz Q4W is consistent with the safety profile in patients with plaque psoriasis with the exception of rhinitis (1%).
Compared to all patients, adverse drug reactions in patients treated with ixekizumab (80 mg or 160 mg at week 0) by subcutaneous injection followed by 80 mg every 4 weeks in the axial spondyloarthritis clinical trials were similar with the exception of:
the frequency of inflammatory bowel disease (common) and rhinitis (common) in radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, and
frequency of inflammatory bowel disease (common), influenza (common) and conjunctivitis (common) in non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. See Table 3.

Injection site reactions.

In the axial spondyloarthritis studies, injection site reactions were similar in subjects with a body weight < 100 kg compared with the group with a body weight ≥ 100 kg (14% vs. 9% for the combined Q2W and Q4W groups). The increased frequency of injection site reactions in the combined Q2W and Q4W groups did not result in an increase in discontinuations of Taltz in the axial spondyloarthritis studies.

Infections.

Infection rates observed in axial spondyloarthritis clinical studies were similar to those observed in psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis studies, with the exception of the frequencies of the adverse reactions of influenza and conjunctivitis which were common in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Laboratory assessment of neutropenia.

The frequency of neutropenia in axial spondyloarthritis clinical studies is similar to that observed in the psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis.

Immunogenicity.

In radiographic axial spondyloarthritis patients treated with ixekizumab at the recommended dosing regimen up to 16 weeks, 10 patients (5.2%) developed anti-drug antibodies, the majority of which were low titre, and 3 patients (1.5%) had neutralising antibodies.
In non radiographic axial spondyloarthritis patients treated with ixekizumab at the recommended dosing regimen for up to 52 weeks, 5 patients (8.9%) developed anti-drug antibodies, all of which were low titre; no patient had neutralising antibodies. No apparent association between the presence of anti-drug antibodies and drug concentration, efficacy, or safety was observed.
Across all indications, an association between immunogenicity and treatment emergent adverse events has not been clearly established.

Post-marketing data.

The following undesirable effect (adverse drug reaction) is based on post-marketing spontaneous reports:

Immune system disorders.

Anaphylaxis. Rare (≥ 0.01%, < 0.1%).

Infections and infestations.

Oesophageal candidiasis. Rare (≥ 0.01%, < 0.1%).

Reporting suspected adverse reactions.

Reporting suspected adverse reactions after registration 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 at http://www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems.

4.9 Overdose

Doses up to 180 mg have been administered subcutaneously in clinical trials without dose-limiting toxicity. Overdoses up to 240 mg have been reported without any serious adverse events. In the event of overdose, it is recommended that the patient be monitored for any signs or symptoms of adverse reactions and appropriate symptomatic treatment be instituted immediately.
For information on the management of overdose, contact the Poison Information Centre on 131126 (Australia).

5 Pharmacological Properties

5.1 Pharmacodynamic Properties

Mechanism of action.

Ixekizumab is an IgG4 monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity (< 3 picoM) to IL-17A, a proinflammatory cytokine. Ixekizumab does not bind to ligands IL-17B, IL-17C, IL-17D, IL-17E or IL-17F. Elevated levels of IL-17A have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of autoimmune diseases. In psoriasis, the IL-17A ligand plays a major role in driving excess keratinocyte proliferation and activation. Neutralisation of IL-17A by ixekizumab inhibits these actions.
In vitro binding assays showed that ixekizumab does not bind to human Fcγ receptors I, IIa and IIIa or to complement component C1q and is therefore not expected to elicit Fc receptor mediated effects (e.g. antibody dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity, complement system activation).

Pharmacodynamics.

Ixekizumab modulates biological responses that are induced or regulated by IL-17A.
Healthy individuals who received ixekizumab had similar antibody responses 1 month after vaccination with tetanus and pneumococcal vaccines compared to individuals who did not receive ixekizumab. The clinical effectiveness of vaccines has not been assessed in patients undergoing treatment with ixekizumab.

Clinical trials.

Plaque psoriasis. The efficacy and safety of Taltz were assessed in three randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trials in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who were candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy (UNCOVER-1 [RHAZ], UNCOVER-2 [RHBA] and UNCOVER-3 [RHBC]). Patients were ≥ 18 years of age with plaque psoriasis who had a minimum body surface area involvement of 10%, a static Physician Global Assessment (sPGA) score of ≥ 3 and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score ≥ 12. Patients with guttate, erythrodermic or pustular psoriasis were excluded from clinical trials.
The efficacy and safety of Taltz were also evaluated compared to etanercept (UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3). Patients randomised to Taltz who were responders (sPGA 0 (clear) or 1 (minimal) at Week 12) were re-randomised to receive Taltz or placebo for an additional 48 weeks (UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2). Patients randomised to placebo, etanercept or Taltz who were non-responders (sPGA ≥ 1 at Week 12) received Taltz for up to 48 weeks.
Of the 3866 patients enrolled in the placebo-controlled trials, 64% had received prior systemic therapy (biologic, conventional systemic or PUVA), 43.5% had received prior phototherapy, 49.3% had received prior conventional systemic therapy and 26.4% had received prior biologic therapy for the treatment of psoriasis. Of all patients, 14.9% had received at least one anti-TNF alpha agent and 8.7% had received an anti-IL-12/ IL-23. A total of 23.4% of patients had a history of psoriatic arthritis.
In all three clinical trials, the primary endpoints were the proportion of patients who achieved at least a 75% reduction in PASI score (PASI 75) from baseline to Week 12 and an sPGA (0,1) with at least a 2 point improvement from baseline. The sPGA is a 6 category scale ranging from 0 (clear) to 5 (very severe) that indicates the physician's overall assessment of psoriasis based on plaque thickness/ induration, erythema and scaling.
Other evaluated outcomes included the proportion of patients with a sPGA 0, a reduction of at least 90% in PASI (PASI 90), a reduction of 100% in PASI (PASI 100) and an improvement of itch severity as measured by an Itch Numeric Rating Scale (Itch NRS).
Patients in all treatment groups had a median baseline PASI score ranging from approximately 17.4 to 18.3. Baseline sPGA score was severe or very severe in 51.2% of patients in UNCOVER-1, 49.7% in UNCOVER-2 and 48.3% in UNCOVER-3.

Clinical response at week 12.

UNCOVER-1 enrolled 1296 patients, randomised to receive either Taltz (80 mg every two or four weeks [Q2W or Q4W]) following a 160 mg starting dose (two injections) at Week 0, or placebo for 12 weeks (see Table 4).
In the UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3 trials, 1224 patients and 1346 patients were enrolled, respectively. Patients were randomised to receive either Taltz (80 mg Q2W or Q4W) following a 160 mg starting dose at Week 0, placebo or etanercept 50 mg twice weekly for 12 weeks (see Table 5).
The Taltz 80 mg Q2W dose regimen provided superior efficacy (p < 0.001) at Week 12 across all endpoints for all three clinical trials. Further, all Taltz-treatment groups consistently demonstrated superiority to placebo and to etanercept in achieving high rates of response (PASI 90) and complete resolution of psoriatic plaque (PASI 100). Further, Taltz-treatment groups had significantly greater improvements in itch severity, as early as Week 1 compared to placebo and to etanercept (p < 0.001). The percentage of patients achieving a sPGA 0 (clear) or 1 (minimal) was statistically significant compared to placebo as early as Week 1 in all three clinical trials.
Taltz was associated with a fast onset of efficacy with > 50% reduction in mean PASI by Week 2 (see Figure 1). The percentage of patients achieving PASI 75 was significantly greater for Taltz compared with placebo and etanercept as early as Week 1. Approximately 25% of patients treated with Taltz achieved a PASI score < 5 by Week 2, more than 55% achieved the PASI score < 5 by Week 4 and increased to 85% by Week 12 (compared to 3%, 14% and 50% for etanercept).
The efficacy and safety of Taltz was demonstrated regardless of age, gender, race, bodyweight, PASI baseline severity, and previous treatment with a biologic. Responses to Taltz were consistent among patients who had nail psoriasis, facial psoriasis, or scalp psoriasis at baseline.
Taltz was efficacious in systemic treatment naïve, biologic naïve, biologic/ anti-TNF-exposed and biologic/ anti-TNF failure patients. Improvements in sPGA and PASI endpoints in patients with concurrent psoriatic arthritis at baseline were similar to those in the overall moderate to severe plaque psoriasis population. Approximately 45% of patients had baseline facial psoriasis. Of these patients, 80.4% of patients treated with Taltz had complete resolution of their facial psoriasis at Week 12.

Maintenance of response.

To evaluate the maintenance of response, patients originally randomised to Taltz and who were responders at Week 12 (sPGA 0,1) in UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2 trials, were re-randomised to an additional 48 weeks of one of the following treatment regimens: Taltz 80 mg Q4W, Taltz 80 mg Q12W or placebo. Patients who were non-responders (sPGA > 1) at Week 12 and who relapsed (sPGA ≥ 3) during the maintenance period were placed on Taltz 80 mg Q4W.
For responders at Week 12, the percentage of patients who maintained this response at Week 60 was higher for patients treated with Taltz 80 mg Q4W (71%) compared to those treated with Taltz 80 mg Q12W (35.5%) or placebo (7%). Further of the responders at Week 12 who were treated with maintenance Q4W dosing, the proportion who maintained or achieved complete resolution of psoriatic plaques at Week 60 as measured by a sPGA (0) or PASI 100 was 52.0% and 51.4%, respectively. Additionally, 76.4% of patients achieved or maintained a PASI < 5 at Week 60.
The response rates for those patients re-randomised to the recommended maintenance dose of Taltz 80 mg Q4W based on induction dose are provided in Table 6.
The improvements in itch severity were sustained up to Week 60 in patients treated with Taltz who were responders at Week 12. Taltz was efficacious in the maintenance of response in systemic treatment naïve, biologic naïve, biologic/ anti-TNF-exposed and biologic/ anti-TNF failure patients.
For responders at Week 12 re-randomised to treatment withdrawal (i.e. placebo), the median time to relapse (sPGA ≥ 3) was 148 days in integrated UNCOVER-1 and UNCOVER-2 trials. Among these patients, 69.6% regained at least a sPGA (0,1) response within 12 weeks of restarting treatment with Taltz 80 mg Q4W.
Significantly greater improvements at Week 12 from baseline compared to placebo and etanercept were demonstrated in nail psoriasis (as measured by the Nail Psoriasis Severity Index [NAPSI]), in scalp psoriasis (as measured by Psoriasis Scalp Severity Index [PSSI]), in facial psoriasis (as measured by proportion who had complete resolution) and in palmoplantar psoriasis (as measured by Psoriasis Palmoplantar Severity Index [PPASI]). These improvements in nail, scalp and palmoplantar psoriasis were maintained at Week 60 in patients treated with Taltz who were responders at Week 12.

Efficacy in non-responders to etanercept.

In the UNCOVER-2 clinical trial, patients identified as non-responder to etanercept (sPGA > 1 at Week 12) were switched to Taltz 80 mg Q4W after a 4 week washout period (N = 200). Of these, 73% and 83.5% of patients were able to achieve sPGA (0,1) and PASI 75, respectively, after 12 weeks treatment with Taltz. In the subset of etanercept non-responders who were biologic naïve at baseline (N = 154), the sPGA (0,1) and PASI 75 after 12 weeks of treatment with Taltz were consistent (72.7% and 83.8%, respectively) with the overall etanercept non-responder population.

Quality of life.

Across all clinical trials at Week 12, Taltz was associated with statistically significant improvement in Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) as measured by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). A DLQI (0,1) indicates no impact of psoriasis on quality of life. A significantly greater proportion of patients treated with Taltz achieved a DLQI (0,1) compared with patients treated with placebo or etanercept, with higher response rates for the Taltz Q2W group than for the Q4W group.
Across all treatments, patients who achieved sPGA (0) at Week 12 reported higher rates of DLQI (0,1) than patients who achieved sPGA (0,1), who likewise had higher DLQI (0,1) response rates than patients who achieved sPGA (> 1). Similarly, each incremental increase in PASI was associated with greater responses of DLQI (0,1). For patients who achieved complete resolution of their psoriasis at 12 weeks, 82% reported that their psoriasis no longer had impact on their HRQoL (see Figure 2).
The statistically significant superior benefit of Taltz over placebo and etanercept was seen as early as Week 2, increased over time to Week 12, and was sustained up to Week 60 in patients treated with Taltz who were responders (sPGA 0,1) at Week 12. At Week 12 and in comparison with etanercept and placebo, Taltz was associated with a significantly greater decrease in skin pain (measured by the Skin Pain Visual Analogue Scale), greater improvements in the physical and mental component summary scores of the SF-36; patients treated with Taltz also reported feeling significantly less bothered by redness/ discolouration, thickness and scaling/ flaking of skin as measured by the PSAB (Psoriasis Skin Appearance and Bothersomeness).
In patients treated with Taltz who were responders at Week 12, these additional benefits were maintained up to Week 60. At Week 12 and in comparison with etanercept and placebo, Taltz was associated with statistically significant improvement in depression as measured by the QIDS-SR16 and productivity as measured by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI).
Some patients who did not respond to the initial 12 weeks of treatment with Taltz showed improvement in psoriasis with continued treatment up to 20 weeks. Patients not responding to Taltz within 20 weeks of initial treatment are unlikely to respond to continued treatment.

Post-marketing phase 3b, direct comparative study.

Efficacy and safety of ixekizumab was also investigated in a double-blind study compared to ustekinumab with ixekizumab being superior on the primary study objective (PASI 90 response at week 12, Table 7). Onset of response was superior on PASI 75 as early as Week 2 (p < 0.001) and on PASI 90 and PASI 100 by Week 4 (p < 0.001). Superiority of ixekizumab versus ustekinumab was also demonstrated in the subgroups stratified by weight.
Genital psoriasis. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (IXORA-Q) was conducted in 149 adult subjects (24% females) with moderate to severe genital psoriasis (sPGA of genitalia score of ≥ 3), a minimum body surface area (BSA) involvement of 1% (60.4% had a BSA ≥ 10%) and previous failure of or intolerance to at least one topical therapy for genital psoriasis. Patients had at least moderate plaque psoriasis (defined as sPGA score of ≥ 3 and being candidates for phototherapy and/or systemic therapy) for at least 6 months.
Subjects randomized to Taltz received an initial dose of 160 mg followed by 80 mg every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who achieved at least a "0" (clear) or "1" (minimal) response on the sPGA of genitalia (sPGA of genitalia 0/1). At Week 12, significantly more subjects in the Taltz group than placebo group achieved a sPGA of genitalia 0/1 and a sPGA 0/1 independent of baseline BSA (baseline BSA 1% - < 10% resp. ≥ 10%: sPGA of genitalia "0" or "1"; Taltz 71%, resp. 75%; placebo: 0%, resp. 13%).
A significantly greater proportion of patients treated with Taltz achieved a reduction in the PROs of severity of genital pain, genital itch, impact of genital psoriasis on sexual activity and a dermatology quality of life index (DLQI). See Table 8.
Psoriatic arthritis. The efficacy and safety of Taltz were assessed in two randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III studies in 780 patients with active psoriatic arthritis (≥ 3 swollen and ≥ 3 tender joints). Patients in these studies had a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis [CASPAR] criteria) for a median of 5.33 years. Randomised patients also had current plaque psoriasis skin lesions (94.0%) or a documented history of plaque psoriasis, with 12.1% of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis at baseline. 58.9% and 22.3% of patients had dactylitis at baseline. For both studies, the primary endpoint was American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 response at Week 24.
In Psoriatic Arthritis Study 1 (SPIRIT-P1), patients naïve to biologic therapy with active psoriatic arthritis were randomised to subcutaneous injections of placebo, adalimumab 40 mg once every 2 weeks (active control reference arm), Taltz 80 mg once every 4 weeks (Q4W), or Taltz 80 mg once every 2 weeks (Q2W). Both Taltz regimens included a 160 mg starting dose. In this study, 53% of patients had concomitant use of MTX at a mean weekly dose of 15.8 mg, with 67% of these patients receiving an MTX dose of 15 mg or greater. Most patients (85.3%) in this study had received prior treatment with ≥ 1 conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (cDMARD). Patients in all treatment groups with an inadequate response at Week 16 received rescue therapy (modification to background therapy). Patients on Taltz Q4W or Q2W remained on their originally assigned dose of Taltz. Patients receiving adalimumab or placebo were re-randomised 1:1 to Taltz Q4W or Q2W at Week 16 or 24 based on responder status.
Psoriatic Arthritis Study 2 (SPIRIT-P2) enrolled patients who were previously treated with an anti-TNF agent and discontinued the anti-TNF agent for either lack of efficacy or intolerance (anti-TNF-IR patients): 56% and 35% of patients were inadequate responders to 1 TNF or 2 TNFs, respectively. SPIRIT-P2 evaluated 363 patients, of whom 41% had concomitant use of MTX at a mean weekly dose of 16.1 mg. Of the patients with concomitant MTX, 73.2% had a dose of 15 mg or greater. Patients in all treatment groups with an inadequate response at Week 16 received rescue therapy (modification to background therapy). Patients in Taltz Q4W or Q2W remained on their originally assigned dose of Taltz. Patients receiving placebo were re-randomised 1:1 to Taltz Q4W or Q2W at Week 16 or 24 based on responder status.

Signs and symptoms.

Treatment with Taltz resulted in significant improvement in measures of disease activity compared to placebo at Week 24 (see Table 9).
In patients with pre-existing dactylitis or enthesitis, treatment with Taltz Q4W resulted in improvement in dactylitis and enthesitis at Week 24 compared to placebo (resolution: 78% vs. 24%; p < 0.001, and 39% vs. 21%; p < 0.01, respectively).
In patients with ≥ 3% BSA, the improvement in skin clearance at Week 12 as measured by 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI 75), was 67% (94/141) for those treated with the Q4W dosing regimen, and 9% (12/134) for those treated with placebo (p < 0.001). The proportion of patients achieving a PASI 75, PASI 90, and PASI 100 response at Week 24 was greater with Taltz Q4W compared to placebo (p < 0.001).
In patients with concomitant moderate to severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, Taltz Q2W dose regimen showed significantly higher response rate for PASI 90 and PASI 100 compared to placebo (p < 0.001) and demonstrated clinical meaningful benefit over the Q4W dose regimen.
The onset of action of Taltz occurred as early as Week 1, with significantly higher responses (p ≤ 0.01) in ACR 20 (20.6% and 22.3% for Q4W and Q2W, respectively) compared to placebo (6.6%). The differences were maintained throughout the 24-week period (p ≤ 0.01). The treatment responses on Taltz were significantly greater than those on placebo as early as week 4 for ACR 50 and week 8 for ACR 70 and persisted through week 24 (p < 0.05). See Figure 3.
In SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2, similar responses were seen in patients with psoriatic arthritis regardless of whether they were on concomitant MTX treatment or not. At Week 24, Taltz-treated patients with concomitant MTX use had a higher ACR 20 response (52.4% for Q4W and 56.1% for Q2W), compared to placebo (25.3%) and ACR 50 response (33.3% for Q4W and 39.5% for Q2W), compared to placebo (14.1%). Taltz-treated patients without concomitant MTX use had a higher ACR 20 response (58.1% for Q4W and 51.8% for Q2W), compared to placebo (24.0%) and ACR 50 response (41.1% for Q4W and 39.3% for Q2W), compared to placebo (6.4%).
In SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2, improvements were shown in all components of the ACR scores, including patient assessment of pain. The proportion of patients achieving a modified Psoriatic Arthritis Response Criteria (PsARC) response was greater in the Taltz-treated patients (55.9% for Q4W and 54.9% for Q2W) compared to placebo (25.9%) at Week 24.
In SPIRIT-P1, efficacy was maintained up to Week 52. Among patients who had achieved an ACR 20, 50 or 70 response at Week 24, 80.6%, 81.4% and 80.0% respectively of responders on Q4W and 81.5%, 77.1% and 80.0% respectively of responders on Q2W maintained their ACR response at Week 52.
Among patients with baseline psoriatic lesions involving ≥ 3% who achieved a PASI 75, 90 or 100 response at Week 24, 90.4%, 87.8% and 80.6% respectively of responders on Q4W and 91.5%, 92.5% and 90.3% respectively of responders on Q2W maintained their PASI response at Week 52.
The majority of patients achieving HAQ-DI ≥ 0.35, MDA response, resolution of dactylitis or of enthesitis at Week 24 maintained that response at Week 52.
The efficacy and safety of Taltz was demonstrated regardless of age, gender, race, disease duration, baseline body weight, baseline psoriasis involvement, baseline CRP, baseline DAS28-CRP, concomitant corticosteroid use, and previous treatment with a biologic. Taltz was efficacious in biologic-naïve and biologic-exposed patients.

Radiographic response.

In SPIRIT-P1, inhibition of progression of structural damage was assessed radiographically and expressed as the change in modified total Sharp Score (mTSS) at Weeks 24 and 52, compared to baseline. Week 24 data are presented in Table 10.
Inhibition of structural damage was maintained with Taltz-treatment up to Week 52. The percentage of patients with no radiographic joint damage progression (defined as a change from baseline in mTSS of ≤ 0.5) from randomisation to Week 24 was 89.0% for Taltz Q4W, 94.8% for Taltz Q2W, 95.8% for adalimumab, and 77.4% for placebo. The percentage of patients with no disease progression from Week 24 to Week 52 for Taltz Q4W and Taltz Q2W was 85.6% and 89.6% respectively; and it was 90.9% and 73.3% respectively for placebo patients who switched to Taltz Q4W or Taltz Q2W at Week 16 or Week 24.

Physical function and health-related quality of life.

In both SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2, patients treated with Taltz Q2W (p < 0.001) and Q4W (p < 0.001) showed significant improvement in physical function compared to patients treated with placebo as assessed by Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) at Week 24, and maintained at Week 52 in SPIRIT-P1.
Taltz-treated patients in the Taltz Q2W and Taltz Q4W groups (SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2 combined) reported significant improvements from baseline in health-related quality of life at Weeks 12 and 24 as measured by the Short Form-36 Health Survey Physical Component Summary (SF-36 PCS) score (p < 0.001). There were also statistically significant improvements demonstrated in fatigue from baseline at Weeks 12 and 24 in Taltz-treated patients in the Taltz Q2W and Taltz Q4W groups (SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2 combined), as measured by the Fatigue Numeric Rating Scale Worst Level (p < 0.001).
Ankylosing spondylitis. The safety and efficacy of Taltz were assessed in 567 patients, in 2 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (COAST-V and COAST-W) in adult patients, age 18 years and older with active ankylosing spondylitis. Patients had active disease as defined by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) ≥ 4 despite non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), corticosteroid, or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy. At baseline, patients had symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis for an average of 17 years across both studies. At baseline, approximately 32% of the patients were on a concomitant cDMARD. In COAST-W, all patients discontinued previous treatment with 1 or 2 TNF inhibitors due to either inadequate response or intolerance.
COAST-V evaluated 341 biologic-naive patients, who were treated with either Taltz 80 mg or 160 mg at Week 0 followed by 80 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) or 4 weeks (Q4W), adalimumab 40 mg every 2 weeks, or with placebo. Patients receiving placebo were re-randomised at Week 16 to receive Taltz (160 mg starting dose, followed by 80 mg Q2W or Q4W). Patients receiving adalimumab were re-randomised at Week 16 to receive Taltz (80 mg Q2W or Q4W). COAST-W evaluated 316 TNF-inhibitor experienced patients (90% were inadequate responders and 10% were intolerant to TNF inhibitors). All patients were treated with Taltz 80 or 160 mg at Week 0 followed by 80 mg Q2W or Q4W, or with placebo. Patients receiving placebo were re-randomised at Week 16 to receive Taltz (160 mg initial dose, followed by 80 mg Q2W or Q4W). The primary endpoint in both studies was the percentage of patients achieving an Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society 40 (ASAS40) response at Week 16.

Clinical response.

In both studies, patients treated with Taltz 80 mg Q2W and 80 mg Q4W demonstrated greater improvements in ASAS40 and ASAS20 responses compared to placebo at Week 16 (Table 11). Responses were similar in patients regardless of concomitant therapies. In COAST-W, responses were seen regardless of the number of prior TNF inhibitors.
The percent of patients achieving ASAS20 and ASAS40 responses by visit in COAST-V is shown in Figure 4.
The improvement in the main components of the ASAS40 response criteria and other measures of disease activity are shown in Table 12.

Health-related outcomes.

General health status and quality of life was assessed by the Short Form health survey (SF-36). At Week 16, in COAST-V and COAST-W, compared to placebo, patients treated with Taltz showed greater improvement from baseline in the SF-36 physical component summary (PCS) score and the physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, vitality, and general health domains, with no consistent improvements in the mental component summary (MCS), social functioning, role emotional, and mental health domains. At Week 16, patients treated with Taltz showed improvement in overall functioning, and quality of life as assessed by the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society Health Index (ASAS HI) compared to patients treated with placebo.
Data on withdrawal or rebound effects in the AS population has not been evaluated.
Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. The efficacy and safety of Taltz were assessed in a randomised, double-blind, study with a 52 week placebo-controlled period (COAST-X) in 303 patients ≥ 18 years of age with active axial spondyloarthritis for at least 3 months. Patients must have had objective signs of inflammation indicated by elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and/or sacroiliitis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and no definitive radiographic evidence of structural damage on sacroiliac joints. Patients had active disease as defined by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) ≥ 4, and spinal pain ≥ 4 on a 0 to 10 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), despite non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy. Patients were treated with either Taltz 80 mg or 160 mg at Week 0, followed by 80 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) or 80 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) or with placebo. Dose adjustment and/or initiation of concomitant medications (NSAIDs, cDMARDs, corticosteroids, analgesics) were permitted starting at Week 16.
At baseline, patients had symptoms of non-radiographic axSpA for an average of 11 years. Approximately 39% of the patients were on a concomitant cDMARD.
The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients achieving an Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society 40 (ASAS40) response at Week 16.

Clinical response.

Higher proportions of patients treated with Taltz 80 mg Q4W achieved ASAS40 response compared to placebo at Week 16 (Table 13). Responses were similar regardless of concomitant therapies.
The improvement in the main components of the ASAS40 response criteria (spinal pain, BASFI, patient global assessment, stiffness) and other measures of disease activity demonstrated significant clinical improvement at Week 16.
The percent of patients achieving ASAS40 response by visit is shown in Figure 5.
In COAST-X efficacy was maintained up to Week 52 as assessed by the endpoints presented in Table 13.

Health-related outcomes.

Spinal pain showed improvements versus placebo as early as Week 1 and was maintained through Week 16 [Taltz vs placebo: COAST-X: -2.4 vs -1.5]. In addition, more patients on Taltz compared with placebo achieved good health status (ASAS HI ≤ 5) at Week 16 and Week 52.

5.2 Pharmacokinetic Properties

Absorption.

Following a single SC dose of ixekizumab in patients with psoriasis, mean peak concentrations were achieved within 4 to 7 days across a dose range of 5 mg to 160 mg. The mean (SD) maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of ixekizumab, after the 160 mg starting dose, was 19.9 (8.15) microgram/mL.
After the 160 mg starting dose, steady-state was achieved by Week 8 with the ixekizumab 80 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) dosing regimen. Mean (SD) Cmax,ss and Ctrough,ss estimates are 21.5 (9.16) microgram/mL and 5.23 (3.19) microgram/mL, respectively. After switching from the ixekizumab 80 mg Q2W dosing regimen to the ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) dosing regimen at Week 12, steady-state would be achieved after approximately 10 weeks. Mean (SD) Cmax,ss and Ctrough,ss estimates are 14.6 (6.04) microgram/mL and 1.87 (1.30) microgram/mL, respectively.
The average SC bioavailability of ixekizumab was estimated in the range of 54% to 90% across analyses.

Distribution.

From population pharmacokinetic analyses, the mean total volume of distribution at steady-state was 7.11 L.

Metabolism.

Ixekizumab is a monoclonal antibody and is expected to be degraded into small peptides and amino acids via catabolic pathways in the same manner as endogenous IgGs.

Excretion.

In the population pharmacokinetic analysis, mean serum clearance was 0.0161 L/hour. Clearance is independent of dose. The mean elimination half-life is 13 days in plaque psoriasis patients. Ixekizumab clearance increases as bodyweight increases.

Dose proportionality.

Exposure (AUC) increased proportionally over a dose range of 5 mg to 160 mg given as a SC injection.

Special populations.

Elderly patients (≥ 65 years).

Based on population pharmacokinetic analysis with limited number of elderly patients (N = 82 for ≥ 65 years and N = 7 for ≥ 75 years), clearance of ixekizumab in elderly patients was similar to patients aged less than 65 years.

Renal impairment or hepatic impairment.

Specific clinical pharmacology studies to evaluate the effects of renal impairment and hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of ixekizumab have not been conducted.
The pharmacokinetic properties of ixekizumab were similar in the plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis indications.

5.3 Preclinical Safety Data

Genotoxicity.

The genotoxic potential of ixekizumab has not been studied.

Carcinogenicity.

Non-clinical studies have not been conducted to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of ixekizumab.

6 Pharmaceutical Particulars

6.1 List of Excipients

Each autoinjector or prefilled syringe is composed of ixekizumab (80 mg/mL) and the inactive ingredients: sodium chloride 11.69 mg/mL, sodium citrate dihydrate 5.11 mg/mL, citric acid 0.51 mg/mL, polysorbate 80 0.30 mg/mL, water for injections.
Taltz contains less than 1 mmoL sodium (23 mg) per 80 mg dose.

6.2 Incompatibilities

Incompatibilities were either not assessed or not identified as part of the registration of this medicine.

6.3 Shelf Life

In Australia, information on the shelf life can be found on the public summary of the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). The expiry date can be found on the packaging.

6.4 Special Precautions for Storage

Taltz single use autoinjector and prefilled syringe are to be stored at 2°C to 8°C. Refrigerate. Do not freeze. Protect from light. Do not shake.
If needed, for example while travelling or transporting the pens/ syringes from the pharmacy, Taltz may be exposed to temperatures not exceeding 30°C for up to 5 days in total. After 5 days at temperatures not exceeding 30°C the product must be used within these 5 days or discarded.

6.5 Nature and Contents of Container

Taltz is available as a 1 mL single-dose prefilled pen (autoinjector) or prefilled syringe containing 80 mg ixekizumab. The solution is contained in a clear glass syringe barrel with bromobutyl plunger.
Taltz is available in pack sizes of 1, 2 or 3 single-dose autoinjector or prefilled syringe*.
*Not all pack sizes or presentations may be marketed.

6.6 Special Precautions for Disposal

Taltz contains no antimicrobial preservative therefore discard any unused portion in accordance with local requirements.

6.7 Physicochemical Properties

Chemical structure.

Ixekizumab has a molecular weight of 146,158 Daltons for the protein backbone of the molecule.

CAS number.

CAS registry number 1143503-69-8.

7 Medicine Schedule (Poisons Standard)

Prescription Medicine - Schedule 4.

Summary Table of Changes