Secukinumab Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on May 13, 2024.

Applies to secukinumab: solution.

Serious side effects of secukinumab

Along with its needed effects, secukinumab may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking secukinumab:

More common side effects

• bladder pain
• bloody or cloudy urine
• burning feeling in the chest or stomach
• difficult, burning, or painful urination
• fever
• frequent urge to urinate
• headache
• indigestion
• loss of appetite
• lower back or side pain
• muscle aches
• nausea or vomiting
• passing of gas
• rectal bleeding
• sore throat
• stomach pain, cramps, fullness, discomfort, tenderness, or upset
• stuffy or runny nose
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• watery or bloody diarrhea

Less common side effects

• body aches or pain
• chills
• cough or hoarseness
• difficulty with breathing or swallowing
• dryness of the throat
• ear congestion
• hives or welts, itching, or skin rash
• loss of voice or voice changes
• painful cold sores or blisters on the lips
• redness, scaling of the skin
• sore mouth or tongue
• tender, swollen glands in the neck
• white patches in the mouth or on the tongue

Rare side effects

• severe diarrhea
• weight loss

Incidence not known

• blistering, crusting, irritation, itching, reddening, peeling, or swelling of the skin
• chest tightness
• cracked, dry, scaly skin
• dizziness
• fast heartbeat
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• skin feels like leather
• small bumps or patches

Other side effects of secukinumab

Some side effects of secukinumab may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

• bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site

For healthcare professionals

Applies to secukinumab: intravenous solution, subcutaneous powder for injection, subcutaneous solution.

General adverse events

The most common adverse reactions were nasopharyngitis, diarrhea, and upper respiratory tract infection.^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Frequency not reported: Major adverse cardiovascular events

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Urticaria, dermatitis, acne, eczema
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dyshidrotic eczema, tinea pedis
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Exfoliative dermatitis, hypersensitivity vasculitis
• Frequency not reported: Cutaneous candidiasis, impetigo, staphylococcal skin infections, dry skin
• Postmarketing reports: Angioedema, eczematous eruptions, pyoderma gangrenosum, generalized exfoliative dermatitis

Eczematous eruptions included atopic dermatitis-like eruptions, dyshidrotic eczema, and erythroderma

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Diarrhea, nausea, oral herpes, upper abdominal pain
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Inflammatory bowel disease, oral candidiasis
• Frequency not reported: Gastritis, lower abdominal pain, colitis, hematochezia, abdominal pain
• Postmarketing reports: Esophageal candidiasis

Inflammatory bowel disease included Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Exacerbation of Crohn's disease, exacerbation of ulcerative colitis, and new onset ulcerative colitis have been reported.

Genitourinary

• Common (1% to 10%): Urinary tract infection, dysmenorrhea, metrorrhagia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Menorrhagia

Metrorrhagia included menometrorrhagia.

Hematologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Neutropenia

Neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count less than 1 x 10[9]/L) was reported in 1% of patients. Rare cases of neutropenia less than 0.5 x 10(9)/L were reported.

Hepatic

• Very common (10% or more): Increased ALT (up to 17.1%), increased AST (up to 12.5%)
• Frequency not reported: Increased liver transaminases

Hypersensitivity

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Anaphylactic reactions
• Postmarketing reports: Anaphylaxis

Immunologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Developed neutralizing antibodies
• Frequency not reported: Developed antidrug antibodies

Metabolic

• Common (1% to 10%): Hypercholesterolemia

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Back pain

Nervous system

• Common (1% to 10%): Headache

Ocular

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Conjunctivitis

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Infections (up to 74%), increased blood cholesterol level (up to 28.7%), increased blood triglyceride level (up to 26.7%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Fatigue, serious infections, fungal infections, pyrexia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Otitis externa
• Frequency not reported: Mucosal candidiasis, otitis media, Candida infections, herpes viral infections, infections requiring treatment, sepsis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus toxic shock syndrome, asthenia
• Postmarketing reports: Bacterial/viral/fungal opportunistic infections

Bacterial, viral, and fungal opportunistic infections included esophageal candidiasis, tracheobronchial candidiasis, cutaneous aspergillosis, CMV gastroenteritis/colitis, herpes simplex encephalitis, herpes simplex keratitis, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, hepatitis B virus reactivation, histoplasmosis, and toxoplasmosis.

Respiratory

• Very common (10% or more): Nasopharyngitis (up to 14.9%), upper respiratory tract infections
• Common (1% to 10%): Rhinorrhea, rhinitis, pharyngitis, cough, oropharyngeal pain, tonsillitis
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Lower respiratory tract infections, sinusitis

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Further information

Secukinumab side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer