Key takeaways:
Cosentyx (secukinumab) is a biologic medication that treats several inflammatory conditions, such as plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, in adults and children.
The typical Cosentyx dosage for adults is 150 mg or 300 mg injected under the skin once weekly for 5 weeks, then once every 4 weeks thereafter. But this may vary based on the condition you’re treating and the form of Cosentyx you’re prescribed.
In most cases, you can inject Cosentyx yourself at home once you’ve been trained how to do it. Ask your pharmacist or prescriber if you have questions about your Cosentyx dosage or how to inject it safely.
GoodRx can help you find ways to save on the cost of Cosentyx, such as a manufacturer copay card or patient assistance program.
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Cosentyx (secukinumab) is a biologic injection that treats several inflammatory conditions, including plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It’s FDA approved for adults and children, depending on the condition being treated.
If you or your child is prescribed Cosentyx, it’s helpful to understand Cosentyx dosage recommendations, as well as information on how to administer the medication.
What’s the typical Cosentyx dosage for adults?
The typical Cosentyx dosage depends on the condition being treated and the form of Cosentyx you’re prescribed. Cosentyx comes in two forms: an injection under the skin you can give yourself at home and an IV infusion that’s administered in a healthcare setting.
Good to know: Before you start receiving Cosentyx, your prescriber will ensure you’re up to date on your vaccines. They will also test you for tuberculosis because Cosentyx could worsen this infection.
Plaque psoriasis
The Cosentyx dosage for adults living with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis starts with 300 mg injected under the skin once a week for 5 weeks. After that, you’ll inject 300 mg once every 4 weeks. The first few doses are known as loading doses. They raise Cosentyx levels in the body faster to help it start working.
In some cases, your prescriber may try a lower dosage of 150 mg, following the same schedule. But the 300 mg dose is typically more effective for plaque psoriasis. Cosentyx IV infusion isn’t recommended for this condition.
Psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis
There are two Cosentyx dosage options for treating psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis:
Option 1: Inject 150 mg under the skin once a week for 5 weeks, then once every 4 weeks thereafter.
Option 2: Inject 150 mg under the skin once every 4 weeks (without the weekly loading doses).
If this Cosentyx dosage doesn’t improve your symptoms (for psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis), your prescriber may increase your dosage to 300 mg every 4 weeks.
If you’re receiving the IV infusion, the two dosage options for these three health conditions are:
IV Option 1: Infuse 6 mg per kg of body weight, followed by 1.75 mg per kg of body weight (up to 300 mg) every 4 weeks thereafter.
IV Option 2: Infuse 1.75 mg per kg of body weight (up to 300 mg) every 4 weeks (without the initial loading dose).
Each Cosentyx infusion takes about 30 minutes, plus prep time.
Good to know: If you have psoriatic arthritis along with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, you should follow the recommended Cosentyx dosage for psoriasis.
Hidradenitis suppurativa
The recommended Cosentyx dosage for hidradenitis suppurativa starts with 300 mg injected under the skin weekly for 5 weeks, followed by 300 mg every 4 weeks. If your symptoms aren’t managed by this dosage, your prescriber may increase it to 300 mg every 2 weeks. The Cosentyx IV infusion isn’t recommended for this condition.
What’s the typical Cosentyx dosage for children?
The Cosentyx dosages for children are based on their body weight and the condition being treated.
Juvenile plaque psoriasis and ankylosing spondylitis
Cosentyx is approved to treat plaque psoriasis in children ages 6 and older and ankylosing spondylitis in children ages 12 and older at the following doses:
Body weight of less than 50 kg (110 lbs): 75 mg per dose
Body weight of 50 kg (110 lbs) or more: 150 mg per dose
Doses are injected under the skin once weekly for the first 5 weeks, then once every 4 weeks. The Cosentyx infusion isn’t recommended for this condition.
Juvenile psoriatic arthritis and enthesitis-related arthritis
Cosentyx is approved to treat psoriatic arthritis in children ages 2 and older and enthesitis-related arthritis in children ages 4 and older at the following doses:
Body weight of at least 15 kg (33 lbs) but less than 50 kg: 75 mg per dose
Body weight of 50 kg or more: 150 mg per dose
Doses are injected under the skin once weekly for the first 5 weeks, then once every 4 weeks.
Which factors can affect Cosentyx dosage?
Your prescriber may adjust your Cosentyx dosage based on how you respond to the medication. This may include raising or lowering your dose or how often you administer the injections. Be sure to let them know how the medication is working for you, including any symptom changes that occur during treatment.
If you develop a serious infection, you may need to pause Cosentyx treatment until you’re feeling better. Tell your prescriber if you develop a fever or other signs of an infection during treatment.
What happens if you miss a dose of Cosentyx?
If you forget to inject a dose of Cosentyx, administer it as soon as you remember. But if more than a couple of days have passed since your missed dose, ask your prescriber what to do. You may need to adjust your dosage schedule moving forward.
Since Cosentyx is often a once-monthly injection, it can be easy to forget when your injection is due. Consider using a medication reminder app or a calendar alert to help you avoid missing your doses.
What should you do if you administer too much Cosentyx?
Cosentyx comes in prefilled syringes and injection pens. So it’s difficult to inject more than the recommended dose. If you give yourself an extra Cosentyx injection by mistake, you’re more likely to experience side effects, such as headache and diarrhea.
If you inject more Cosentyx than recommended, it’s best to contact your prescriber or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance.
How to inject Cosentyx
Cosentyx comes in prefilled Sensoready and UnoReady pens. It also comes in a prefilled syringe. Your prescriber will teach you how to inject Cosentyx before you administer it yourself at home.
Here are a few tips to follow when handling and administering Cosentyx:
Store Cosentyx in the fridge: It’s best to store your Cosentyx products in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. But you can store the Sensoready pens and 75 mg and 150 mg prefilled syringes at room temperature (up to 86° F) for up to 4 days. You can return these products to the fridge within this time period and use them until their expiration, but you can do this only one time.
Let your dose come to room temperature: Before you inject Cosentyx, take the medication out of the fridge and let it come up to room temperature. This takes about 15 to 30 minutes for the Sensoready pen and 75 mg or 150 mg prefilled syringes. For a UnoReady pen or a 300 mg prefilled syringe, it takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Don’t try to warm up the medication any other way.
Inspect your medication: Before administering each dose, check that the medication is clear, is colorless or slightly yellow, and doesn’t have particles floating in it. Contact your prescriber or pharmacist if your Cosentyx product is discolored or contains visible particles.
Know where to administer your injections: You can inject Cosentyx in the front of your thighs, lower stomach area (at least 2 inches from your belly button), or upper, outer arms. Don’t inject Cosentyx into skin that’s tender, bruised, or scarred. Avoid areas affected by psoriasis.
Rotate your injection site: To avoid irritation, change the injection site each time you administer Cosentyx.
Place used Cosentyx syringes in a sharps container: After injecting Cosentyx, place the used product in a sharps container or a heavy-duty plastic container to lower the risk of needlestick injuries. Visit the FDA’s website for guidance on how to safely throw away a sharps container in your state.
How to save
Cosentyx is available only as a reference (brand-name) medication. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $0 per month for Cosentyx using a savings card from the manufacturer. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Cosentyx’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.
Frequently asked questions
Cosentyx starts working to reduce inflammation right away. But it can take time before you notice a significant improvement in your symptoms. For example, in clinical studies, people reported a noticeable improvement in psoriatic arthritis symptoms after 4 to 6 months of Cosentyx treatment. But this can vary depending on the condition you’re treating and how you respond to Cosentyx. Your prescriber can help keep an eye on your progress and make changes if needed.
Weight gain wasn’t a reported side effect in clinical studies of Cosentyx. Additional research shows mixed results: Weight gain and weight loss were both reported as possible Cosentyx side effects. Keep in mind that the conditions Cosentyx treats can also affect your weight. So if you notice unwanted weight changes during Cosentyx treatment, ask your prescriber for guidance. They can help determine the cause and best steps to address it.
Cosentyx stays in your system for a long time, which is why you can typically inject it just once a month. It can take more than 5 months (22 weeks) to fully clear Cosentyx from your system after your last injection.
Cosentyx starts working to reduce inflammation right away. But it can take time before you notice a significant improvement in your symptoms. For example, in clinical studies, people reported a noticeable improvement in psoriatic arthritis symptoms after 4 to 6 months of Cosentyx treatment. But this can vary depending on the condition you’re treating and how you respond to Cosentyx. Your prescriber can help keep an eye on your progress and make changes if needed.
Weight gain wasn’t a reported side effect in clinical studies of Cosentyx. Additional research shows mixed results: Weight gain and weight loss were both reported as possible Cosentyx side effects. Keep in mind that the conditions Cosentyx treats can also affect your weight. So if you notice unwanted weight changes during Cosentyx treatment, ask your prescriber for guidance. They can help determine the cause and best steps to address it.
Cosentyx stays in your system for a long time, which is why you can typically inject it just once a month. It can take more than 5 months (22 weeks) to fully clear Cosentyx from your system after your last injection.
The bottom line
Cosentyx (secukinumab) is a biologic medication that treats several inflammatory conditions, such as plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, in adults and children.
The typical Cosentyx dosage for adults is 150 mg or 300 mg injected under the skin once weekly for 5 weeks, then once every 4 weeks. But your Cosentyx dosage may vary based on the condition you’re treating and the form of Cosentyx you’re prescribed. The Cosentyx dosage for children is based on their body weight and the condition being treated.
In most cases, you can inject Cosentyx yourself at home once you’ve been trained to do it. Ask your pharmacist or prescriber if you have questions about your Cosentyx dosage or how to inject it safely.
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References
Chung, S. H., et al. (2021). Interleukin-17 family members in health and disease. International Immunology.
Costentyx. (2026). Using your prefilled syringe. Novartis Pharmaceuticals.
Kivitz, A. J., et al. (2018). Efficacy and safety of secukinumab 150 mg with and without loading regimen in ankylosing spondylitis: 104-week results from MEASURE 4 study. Rheumatology and Therapy.
MedlinePlus. (2025). Secukinumab injection.
Menter, A., et al. (2019). Joint AAD-NPF guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with biologics. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Nemours KidsHealth. (2021). Enthesitis-related juvenile arthritis.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals. (2026). Cosentyx- secukinumab injection, solution, concentrate [package insert].
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel.
Wang, H. N., et al. (2020). Changes in metabolic parameters in psoriatic patients treated with secukinumab. Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease.
