Taltz (ixekizumab) is a brand-name injectable drug that’s prescribed for certain autoimmune conditions. Taltz has interactions with some other drugs and certain vaccines. Examples include abatacept (Orencia) and the nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist).
Taltz is prescribed for the following autoimmune conditions in certain situations:
- psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis in adults
- plaque psoriasis in adults and children ages 6 years and older
An interaction occurs when one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected.
Taltz comes in different forms, but they have the same interactions. The forms are:
- solution in a prefilled auto-injector pen for subcutaneous injection
- solution in a prefilled syringe for subcutaneous injection
To learn more about Taltz’s interactions, keep reading. For additional information about Taltz, including details about its uses, see this article.
Before you start treatment with Taltz, 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 Taltz interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Taltz and other interactions” section below.)
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Here’s a table of drugs that can interact with Taltz. Keep in mind that this table doesn’t include all drugs that may interact with Taltz. Some of these interactions are described in detail just below in “Drug interactions in depth.”
| Drug name | Interaction result with Taltz |
| tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR)* | can increase the risk of side effects of Taltz and tofacitinib |
| abatacept (Orencia)* | can increase the risk of side effects of Taltz and abatacept |
| upadacitinib (Rinvoq) | can increase the risk of side effects of Taltz and upadacitinib |
| canakinumab (Ilaris)* | can increase the risk of side effects of Taltz and canakinumab |
For details about side effects of Taltz, see this article.
* For details about this interaction, see the “Drug interactions in depth” section below.
In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Taltz due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The contraindications of Taltz include:
Having had an allergic reaction to Taltz or any of its ingredients
If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Taltz or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Taltz. Injecting the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
Note: Before you start treatment with Taltz, it’s important to tell your doctor if this contraindication applies to you. They can determine whether to prescribe Taltz.
There aren’t any known interactions between Taltz and alcohol. However, drinking alcohol during Taltz treatment may worsen nausea as a side effect of Taltz.
Alcohol can also worsen symptoms of the condition you’re prescribed Taltz to treat. For example, if you have plaque psoriasis, consuming alcohol may cause your symptoms to flare.
For these reasons, your doctor may advise you to limit alcohol consumption during Taltz treatment.
If you have questions about drinking alcohol during Taltz treatment, talk with your doctor. To learn more about the side effects of Taltz, see this article.
Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Taltz.
Tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR)
Tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR) is prescribed for certain autoimmune conditions, including psoriatic arthritis. (Note: In this section, “Xeljanz” is used to describe both forms of the drug.)
Interaction result. Treatment with Taltz and Xeljanz can increase the risk of side effects from either medication.
Interaction explained. Both Taltz and Xeljanz can weaken your immune system.* Treatment with either drug can increase your risk of infection. Treatment with Taltz and Xeljanz together can further increase your risk of infection.
Steps you or your doctor may take. Taltz and Xeljanz can be prescribed to treat a few of the same conditions. However, doctors typically won’t prescribe these medications together.
Before starting Taltz, tell your doctor if you already take Xeljanz. They can recommend which drug may be the better treatment option for you.
If you have other questions about Taltz and Xeljanz, talk with your doctor. To learn more about the side effects of Taltz, see this article.
Abatacept (Orencia)
Abatacept (Orencia) is prescribed for psoriatic arthritis and other autoimmune conditions.
Interaction result. Treatment with Taltz and Orencia can raise the risk of side effects from either drug.
Interaction explained. Taltz and Orencia can increase your risk of infection when administered individually. This is because both drugs may weaken your immune system.* Treatment with Taltz and Orencia can further weaken your immune system and increase your risk of infection.
Steps you or your doctor may take. Doctors prescribe Taltz and Orencia to treat some of the same conditions. But they typically won’t prescribe the drugs together.
Before starting Taltz, tell your doctor if you’re already having Orencia treatment. They can tell you whether one drug or the other may be a better treatment for your condition.
If you have other questions about Taltz and Orencia, talk with your doctor. To learn more about the side effects of Taltz, see this article.
Canakinumab (Ilaris)
Canakinumab (Ilaris) is prescribed for certain conditions that cause fever and joint inflammation.
Interaction result. Treatment with Taltz and Ilaris can increase the risk of side effects from either drug.
Interaction explained. Both Taltz and Ilaris may increase your risk of infection by weakening your immune system.* This may happen when either drug is prescribed alone. When prescribed together, the risk of infection is even higher.
Steps you or your doctor may take. Before you start Taltz treatment, tell your doctor if you’ve already been prescribed Ilaris. They typically won’t prescribe these medications together. Your doctor can recommend a treatment other than Taltz that’s less likely to interact with Ilaris.
If you have other questions about Taltz and Ilaris, talk with your doctor. To learn more about the side effects of Taltz, see this article.
* Your immune system helps prevent infection.
Taltz 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 Taltz.
Taltz and supplements
It’s possible for drugs to interact with supplements such as vitamins and herbs.
Taltz interactions with herbs
There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Taltz. 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 Taltz treatment.
Taltz and vitamins
There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Taltz. 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 Taltz.
Taltz and food
There are no reports of food interactions with Taltz. If you’d like to learn more about eating certain foods during treatment with Taltz, talk with your doctor.
Taltz interactions with vaccines
Taltz is known to interact with live vaccines. A live vaccine contains weakened pieces of the bacterium or virus it’s meant to defend against. Live vaccines typically won’t cause infection when your immune system is healthy.
However, Taltz may weaken your immune system.* So getting a live vaccine during Taltz treatment could mean your immune system cannot fight the bacterium or virus. This may cause you to develop symptoms of the illness the vaccine is meant to help prevent.
Examples of live vaccines to avoid during Taltz treatment include:
- nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist)
- chickenpox
- measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
Before starting Taltz, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about any vaccines you may need.
* Your immune system helps prevent infection.
Taltz and lab tests
Taltz isn’t known to interact with any lab tests. If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.
TALTZ AND CANNABIS OR CBDCannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Taltz. However, as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis in combination with Taltz. The effects of cannabis may affect how well you stick to your Taltz 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 Taltz. Before you start this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Taltz may not be the right treatment option for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.
Health conditions or factors that might interact with Taltz include:
Tuberculosis (TB) and other infections. Treatment with Taltz may lead to new or worsened infections, including TB. Before starting Taltz, tell your doctor if you have an infection. Also, tell them if you have symptoms of infection, such as chills, fever, or fatigue. If you have an infection, your doctor will likely treat it before you start Taltz.
Before starting Taltz treatment, your doctor will test for TB. If the test shows you have TB, they’ll treat this condition before you begin Taltz. It’s still possible for TB to return after it’s been treated. For this reason, your doctor will watch for symptoms of TB infection during Taltz treatment.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Treatment with Taltz may lead to new or worsened IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. If you have IBD, your doctor can tell you whether Taltz is a safe treatment option for you.
Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Taltz or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Taltz. Treatment with the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you. To learn more, see “When to avoid Taltz” above.
Breastfeeding. It’s not known whether it’s safe to inject Taltz while breastfeeding. There isn’t enough information to determine whether the drug passes into breast milk or what effects Taltz may have on a child who is breastfed. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to, talk with your doctor before starting Taltz. 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 Taltz is safe to inject while pregnant. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor before starting Taltz. They can advise you on the right treatment plan for you.
If you’re prescribed Taltz while pregnant, consider enrolling in the drug’s pregnancy registry. This registry keeps track of issues that may occur when Taltz is injected in pregnancy. To learn more, call 800-284-1695 or talk with your doctor.
Here are some frequently asked questions about Taltz and possible interactions.
Is there an interaction between Taltz and sun exposure therapy?
No, there isn’t an interaction between Taltz and sun exposure therapy. In fact, doctors may prescribe Taltz with sun exposure therapy for treating plaque psoriasis.
Taltz is prescribed for plaque psoriasis if your doctor thinks this condition could benefit from certain treatments. These include phototherapy (light treatment) and systemic therapy (treatment that affects your whole body). Sun exposure is a type of phototherapy.
There are many types of phototherapy for plaque psoriasis. Talk with your doctor to learn which type may be best for your condition.
If you have other questions about Taltz and sun exposure therapy, talk with your doctor.
How do the interactions of Taltz compare with those of Otezla?
Taltz and apremilast (Otezla) have different interactions.
Taltz may interact with certain vaccines* and biologics such as tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR)† and abatacept (Orencia).† However, Otezla isn’t known to interact with these medications. Otelza interacts with other drugs that Taltz isn’t known to interact with.
Similar to Taltz, Otezla is prescribed for psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis. Each drug can be prescribed for other conditions as well. To learn more about Otezla’s interactions, see this article.
If you have other questions about Taltz and Otezla, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
* For details, see the “Taltz and other interactions” section above.
† For details, see the “Drug interactions in depth” section above.
You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Taltz. 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 if 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 Taltz label and other
If Taltz 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 Taltz by administering it exactly as your doctor prescribes.
Besides learning about interactions, you may want to find out more about Taltz. These resources might help:
- Overview of Taltz. For a general overview of Taltz, you can see this article.
- Side effects. If you’re interested in the side effects of Taltz, see this article. Another option is to refer to the Taltz prescribing information.
- Dosage specifics. To learn about the dosage of Taltz, see this article.
- Cost. If you’d like to learn about Taltz and cost, see this article.
- Facts about your condition. To learn more about the conditions Taltz treats, you can refer to our:
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.