Ustekinumab resistance management

Ustekinumab (Ustekinumab) is a biologic agent used to treat moderate to severe psoriasis, moderate to severe Crohn's disease, active psoriatic arthritis, and active ulcerative colitis. However, some patients may develop resistance to ustekinumab, in which the drug becomes less effective or loses its effectiveness completely after long-term use. For patients who develop resistance to ustekinumab, it is recommended to communicate with their doctor as soon as possible to jointly develop an individualized treatment plan.

The doctor will consider the patient's condition, medical history and laboratory test results and provide the most appropriate treatment method. Your doctor may increase the dose of ustekinumab to make it more effective. This is one of the most common treatment methods. Under normal circumstances, ustekinumab is administered once every 12 weeks. But for patients who develop drug resistance, doctors may shorten the dosing interval, such as once every 8 weeks, to increase the drug's efficacy. Doctors may combine ustekinumab with other drugs to make the treatment more effective. For example, immunosuppressants or other biologics may be used in combination.

The generic drug Ustekinumab has been launched in China and is included in the medical insurance, and is only reimbursed for patients who meet the indications. The price of the 130mg/26ml intravenous injection preparation may be more than 5,000 yuan per box, and the price of the 90mg: 1.0ml*1 subcutaneous injection preparation may be more than 8,000 yuan per box. The price of the 130mg/26ml intravenous injection preparation of Ustekinumab sold overseas may be more than 2,000 US dollars per box, and the price of 45mg: 0.5ml*1 subcutaneous injection preparation per box may be more than 10,000 US dollars. There are currently no generic versions of ustekinumab produced in other overseas countries.