What to Know About Humira for Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an autoimmune disease that causes swollen, painful joints in parts of the body, most often the hands and feet. It can also cause areas of your skin to be tender or itchy. PsA occurs when people with a condition called psoriasis also have arthritis symptoms. As many as 30% of people with psoriasis may develop PsA.

Lots of medications can help improve the symptoms of PsA and prevent the condition from worsening. Humira (adalimumab) is a common medication used to treat PsA. But there’s a lot to know about Humira, and you may have questions about taking it.

Keep reading to learn more about using Humira to treat PsA.

What is Humira?

Humira is an injectable medication. It’s approved by the FDA to treat several conditions:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)

• PsA

• Ankylosing spondylitis (AS)

• Crohn’s disease (CD)

• Plaque psoriasis

• Ulcerative colitis (UC)

• Hidradentis suppurativa (HS)

• Uveitis

Humira is a type of biologic medication. These medications contain ingredients found in living organisms, like sugars, tissues, and proteins. 

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How does Humira work for PsA?

Humira belongs to a class of medications called TNF blockers, which block the action of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). TNF is a protein in the body that plays a role in creating inflammation (swelling) and helping the immune system fight off invaders. 

People who have PsA often have higher TNF levels in their joints than people without PsA. And the TNF can cause their immune system to attack itself and cause unwanted inflammation. This may partly cause the joint and skin symptoms in PsA.

By blocking TNF’s actions, Humira helps lessen the joint pain, inflammation, and skin symptoms for people with PsA.

How is Humira given when treating PsA?

When prescribed for PsA, Humira is given as a 40 mg injection every other week. Most people can safely self-inject their doses at home. Some people may also choose to have a family member help them.

Humira can be injected into the stomach area or thighs. But you should change the area where you inject Humira with each dose to help prevent skin irritation. If you’re injecting Humira into your stomach area, the injection location should be at least two inches away from your belly button. 

Keep Humira in the refrigerator until you’re getting ready for your dose. However, injections can be more uncomfortable if the medication is cold. So leaving Humira at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before your dose can help make injections less painful.

Humira comes in two different versions: a pre-filled syringe and an injector pen. Both have a single dose of medication inside. After your dose, throw the injection device away in a needle disposal container.

Each form of Humira has different directions. Be sure you follow the instructions for the device you have. If you have questions about how to use your pre-filled syringe or injector pen, speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

What are the potential side effects?

You may have side effects while taking Humira. But these are typically mild for many people. Most people who take Humira don’t experience any serious side effects. Still, it’s important to discuss these risks with your healthcare provider before starting Humira.

Common side effects

Humira weakens your immune system. Because of this, your risk of infections goes up. Typically, these aren’t serious infections. But you should be aware that they can happen.

The most common side effects of Humira include:

• Upper respiratory infections

• Sinus infections

• Influenza (the flu)

• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

• Nausea

• Stomach-area pain

• Headache

• Rash

• Pain, itching, or redness where Humira was injected (injection site reaction)

Serious side effects

Experts generally consider Humira safe for long-term use. But using it for a long time can also raise your risk for serious side effects. These are rare, and your healthcare provider should be monitoring for them. But you should also discuss with your healthcare provider how to best watch for signs of these problems when you’re at home.

For example, Humira can cause a higher risk of severe infections, such as tuberculosis (TB) and fungal infections. If you’re sick, you shouldn’t start this medication. Doing so can raise your risk of these serious infections. You’ll be tested for TB before and during Humira treatment.

Allergic reactions can happen with Humira, as well. If you’re allergic to latex or natural rubber, be sure to let your healthcare provider know. Some Humira pre-filled syringes and injector pens use a needle cap made with natural rubber latex.

Other serious side effects from Humira include:

• Cancer, including lymphoma, leukemia, and skin cancer

• Dangerous blood disorders

• New or worsening nerve problems, including multiple sclerosis (MS)

• Liver damage

• Hepatitis B reactivation (when hepatitis that’s been under control becomes active again)

• New or worse heart failure

How effective is Humira when treating PsA?

Humira is an effective medication for PsA. In a randomized clinical trial for PsA, Humira greatly improved joint and skin symptoms compared to a placebo (an injection with no medication in it) after 12 weeks (about 3 months) of treatment. It also improved the quality of life for people with PsA who participated in the trial.

There’s also information that compares Humira to other FDA-approved PsA treatments. The two medications discussed below belong to a different group of biologic medications called interleukin antagonists.

Humira has been compared to Cosentyx (secukinumab) in an indirect comparison study for PsA. This type of study compares the data from two separate — but very similar — studies for each medication. Indirect comparisons are usually conducted when a head-to-head study hasn’t been done yet. In this comparison, Humira provided better symptom relief and prevented more people’s PsA from worsening than Cosentyx did.

Humira was also compared directly to Taltz (ixekizumab) in a head-to-head trial for PsA. While people in the study had good results with both treatments, Taltz seemed to be more effective.

How to save on Humira

There are ways to save on Humira, which is only available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx can help you navigate between patient assistance programs and copay savings cards to save money on your prescription.

• Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Humira’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.

• Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $5 for Humira using a savings card from the manufacturer.

What are some alternatives to Humira?

Humira is considered a safe and effective treatment for PsA. But other medications may be a better option for you. This may depend on how severe your symptoms are and other medications you’ve tried before. Your healthcare provider can help decide which treatment is right for you.

Other medications commonly prescribed for PsA include:

• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone

• Cosentyx

• Taltz

• Enbrel (etanercept)

• Methotrexate

• Orencia (abatacept)

• Otezla (apremilast)

• Remicade (infliximab)

• Stelara (ustekinumab)

• Xeljanz (tofacitinib)

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)

Your healthcare provider might also suggest treatments for you that aren’t medications. These wouldn’t replace PsA medications, but they may provide extra symptom relief. Examples of nonmedication treatments may include physical therapy or light therapy. 

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Written by:

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP

Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP, is a board-certified ambulatory care clinical pharmacist. In his early career, he provided direct patient care in a variety of settings, including hospital and community pharmacies, and in a primary care clinic as a clinical pharmacist.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

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