Skyrizi (risankizumab-rzaa) is a brand-name drug that’s prescribed for plaque psoriasis and other conditions related to inflammation. Skyrizi has interactions with certain vaccines, including the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Skyrizi is prescribed for treating the following conditions in adults:

An interaction occurs when one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected.

Skyrizi comes in multiple forms, and they have the same interactions. The forms are:

  • solution for intravenous infusion
  • solution in an injection pen or pre-filled syringe for subcutaneous injection
  • solution in a pre-filled cartridge for use with the Skyrizi on-body injector

To learn more about Skyrizi’s interactions, keep reading. For additional information about Skyrizi, including details about its uses, see this article.

Skyrizi interactions with other medications haven’t been reported. But this doesn’t mean interactions don’t exist or won’t be discovered at a later date.

Before you start treatment with Skyrizi, tell your doctor and pharmacist which prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Skyrizi interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Skyrizi and other interactions” section.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Skyrizi due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Skyrizi include:

Having had an allergic reaction to Skyrizi or any of its ingredients

If you have had an allergic reaction to Skyrizi or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Skyrizi. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you. To see the full list of other ingredients in Skyrizi, check out the drug’s prescribing information. These other ingredients vary based on the form of Skyrizi.

Note: Before you start treatment with Skyrizi, it’s important to tell your doctor if this contraindication applies to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Skyrizi.

There are no known interactions between Skyrizi and alcohol.

However, alcohol can worsen symptoms of the conditions Skyrizi is prescribed to treat. Drinking alcohol can worsen symptoms of Crohn’s disease, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis, according to current research. As a result, your doctor may suggest you limit or avoid alcohol consumption.

If you have questions about drinking alcohol while taking Skyrizi, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Skyrizi may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Skyrizi.

Skyrizi interactions with supplements

It’s possible for drugs to interact with supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

Skyrizi interactions with herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Skyrizi. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, it’s important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products during Skyrizi treatment.

Skyrizi interactions with vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Skyrizi. However, that doesn’t mean vitamin interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, you should talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any vitamin product with Skyrizi.

Skyrizi interactions with food

There were no reports of food interactions with Skyrizi. If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Skyrizi, talk with your doctor.

Skyrizi interactions with vaccines

Skyrizi is known to interact with live vaccines. A live vaccine contains live but weakened pieces of the virus or bacterium it’s meant to defend against. When your immune system is healthy, live vaccines usually won’t cause infection.

But Skyrizi works by lowering activity in your immune system. This helps treat symptoms of plaque psoriasis and certain other conditions, but it also weakens your immune system. So if you get a live vaccine, your immune system may not be able to fight the virus or bacterium. This may cause you to become sick or develop symptoms of the illness the vaccine is meant to prevent. You also are less likely to develop resistance to the illness, which means the vaccine is less effective.

Examples of live vaccines to avoid during Skyrizi treatment include:

Before starting Skyrizi, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about any vaccines you may need. They’ll likely want to administer any vaccines you need before you begin treatment with Skyrizi.

Skyrizi interactions with lab tests

Skyrizi isn’t known to interact with any lab tests. If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.

SKYRIZI INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Skyrizi. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Skyrizi. The impact of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Skyrizi treatment plan.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Skyrizi. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Skyrizi may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Skyrizi include:

  • Active infection: Because Skyrizi lowers activity in your immune system, infections may be harder to treat while you’re taking the drug. As a result, your doctor will likely want to treat any infection you have before you start treatment with Skyrizi.
  • Past or current tuberculosis (TB) infection: Treatment with Skyrizi could worsen an active TB infection. And if you’ve had TB in the past, it’s possible that Skyrizi could cause it to become active (causing symptoms) again. Your doctor will likely order a test to check for TB before you start using Skyrizi. If this test is positive, they’ll want to treat TB before prescribing Skyrizi to you.
  • Liver problems: Skyrizi may rarely cause liver-related side effects in people with Crohn’s disease. This risk is further increased if you have liver cirrhosis or another severe liver problem. If you have Crohn’s disease and a severe liver problem, ask your doctor whether it’s safe for you to use Skyrizi.
  • Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Skyrizi or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Skyrizi. Taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
  • Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether it’s safe to use Skyrizi while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk or what effects Skyrizi may have on a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before using Skyrizi. They can talk with you about treatment options and ways to feed your child.
  • Pregnancy: There haven’t been enough clinical trials to determine whether Skyrizi is safe to use while pregnant. Animal studies suggest that the drug may cause congenital anomalies (commonly known as birth defects) or pregnancy loss. However, animal studies don’t always indicate what may happen in humans. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Skyrizi. They can advise you on the right treatment plan for you.

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Skyrizi. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

  • Let them know whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
  • Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
  • Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Skyrizi label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Skyrizi doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Skyrizi by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.