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bimekizumab

Class: Interleukin inhibitors.

This grade answers one narrow question: how strong is the public evidence and safety record behind this drug, and how clean is its money trail and court record? It is not a verdict on whether the drug is right for you.

B

Score breakdown (84/100)

Safety ×35%
A
Evidence ×25%
D
Regulatory ×15%
A
Money & lawsuits ×15%
A
Options ×10%
C

Safety: 100

Evidence: 51

Regulatory history: 95

Money & lawsuits: 100

Options: 70

What the FDA label says

Approved uses

is a humanized interleukin-17A and F antagonist indicated for the treatment of: Moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PSO) in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. ( 1.1 ) Adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) . ( 1.2 ) Adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis ( nr-axSpA ) with objective signs of inflammation. ( 1.3 ) Adults with active ankylosing spondylitis ( AS ). ( 1.4 ) Adults with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) . ( 1.5 ) 1.1 Plaque Psoriasis BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. 1.2 Psoriatic Arthritis BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adults with active psoriatic arthritis. 1.3 Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation. 1.4 Ankylosing Spondylitis BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adults with active ankylosing spondylitis. 1.5 Hidradenitis Suppurativa BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa.

Contraindications

None. None. ( 4 )

Warnings and precautions

Suicidal Ideation and Behavior (SI/B) : May increase risk of SI/B. Advise patients, their caregivers, and families to monitor for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal ideation, or other mood changes. If such changes occur, instruct patients to promptly seek medical attention or call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Carefully weigh risks and benefits of treatment with BIMZELX in patients with a history of severe depression and/or suicidal ideation or behavior. ( 5.1 ) Infections : May increase risk of infection. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms of clinically important infection occur. If such an infection develops, do not administer BIMZELX until the infection resolves. ( 5.2 ) Tuberculosis (TB) : Avoid use in patients with active TB. Initiate treatment of latent TB prior to BIMZELX treatment. ( 5.3 ) Liver Biochemical Abnormalities : Elevated serum transaminases were reported in clinical trials. Test liver enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin at baseline and according to routine patient management. Permanently discontinue use of BIMZELX in patients with causally - associated combined elevations of transaminases and ...

Adverse reactions (label)

The following adverse reactions have been observed with BIMZELX and are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling: Suicidal Ideation and Behavior [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Infections [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Liver Biochemical Abnormalities [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Inflammatory Bowel Disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Most common adverse reactions are: Psoriasis and Hidradenitis Suppurativa (incidence ≥ 1%): upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, injection site reactions, tinea infections, gastroenteritis, Herpes simplex infections, acne, folliculitis, other candida infections, and fatigue. ( 6.1 ) Psoriatic Arthritis (incidence ≥ 2%): upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, diarrhea, and urinary tract infection. ( 6.1 ) Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis (incidence ≥ 2%): upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, diarrhea, cough, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, myalgia, tonsilitis, transaminase increase, and urinary tract infection. ( 6.1 ) Ankylosing Spondylitis (incidence ≥ 2%): upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, heada...

Recent major label changes

Indications and Usage ( 1.2 , 1.3 , 1.4 , 1.5 ) 11/2024 Dosage and Administration ( 2.3 , 2.4 , 2.5 , 2.6 , 2.7 ) 11/2024 Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 , 5.2 ) 11/2024

Source: FDA SPL label for Bimzelx (UCB, Inc.), effective 20250616. Full label on DailyMed.

Side-effect reports sent to the FDA

These are counts of reports people filed, not rates of harm. Anyone can file one, and nobody checks whether the drug was the cause. Millions of doses are taken for every report sent, so the useful part is how this drug compares with the average across all drugs.

4,038reports that mention this drug
4,033of those blame this drug, not another one the person was taking
95%of reports describe a serious outcome, such as a hospital stay (average for all drugs: 57%)
1.4%of reports include a death, from any cause (average for all drugs: 9.1%)

Problems reported most often

Psoriatic Arthropathy · 970Psoriasis · 617Drug Ineffective · 483Injection Site Pain · 397Inappropriate Schedule Of Product Administration · 361Off Label Use · 287Product Dose Omission Issue · 285Therapy Interrupted · 282Hidradenitis · 245Fatigue · 221Oral Candidiasis · 218Condition Aggravated · 208Pneumonia · 198Incorrect Dose Administered · 188Therapeutic Response Shortened · 175

Reports per year

20192020202120222023202420252026
1229898772,107947

Source: the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports are voluntary and unverified. Drugs that are prescribed a lot, in the news, or in lawsuits attract more reports, so the percentages are compared with the whole database to correct for that partly, not fully.

Recalls and regulatory record

0recall actions on file
0 / 0brand / generic applications
0label changes since 2021
NoREMS program

Evidence base

48randomized trials (PubMed)
12systematic reviews
62registered trials
72%of completed trials posted results
3%terminated or withdrawn
81%industry-funded

Counts measure how much evidence exists and how transparent it is, not how big the benefit is. For that, ask your prescriber: if 100 people like me took this, how many would get better because of it, and how many would be harmed? (Doctors call these the "number needed to treat" and "number needed to harm.") It differs by condition and is the number drug ads leave out. Sources: PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Money and lawsuits

In 2024, drug companies reported $0 in payments to US physicians and hospitals tied to this drug across 0 transactions.

No pending federal MDL names this drug or its brands.

Not named in any federal pharmaceutical settlement of $100M or more on record.

Sources: CMS Open Payments (Sunshine Act); Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation pending docket list; DOJ settlements as tabulated on Wikipedia with links to the primary record. State-court and individual suits are not included.

Who takes it and what it costs

Not in the Medicare Part D spending file (typically hospital-administered or very new drugs).

Same-class alternatives

anakinrabasiliximabbrodalumabcanakinumabdaclizumabixekizumabmirikizumabrilonaceptsarilumabsatralizumabsiltuximabspesolimab

Same ATC pharmacological class, graded ones first, best grade at the top. Being in the same class does not make them interchangeable for your condition; it makes them worth asking about.

Questions to ask your prescriber

  1. The most-reported problems in FDA's adverse event data are psoriatic arthropathy, psoriasis, injection site pain. How would we recognize and handle those?
  2. Off-label use is among the most-reported items for this drug. Is my use on-label, and if not, what evidence supports it?
  3. Why this one over anakinra, basiliximab, brodalumab? What would make you pick one of those instead?
  4. There is no generic. Is there an older generic in the same class that works as well for my situation?
  5. What result are we expecting, by when, and what is the plan if it does not happen?
  6. If 100 people like me took this drug, how many would actually get better because of it, and how many would be harmed by it? (Doctors call these the number needed to treat and the number needed to harm.)