The FDA has approved a new citrate-free formulation of ixekizumab 80mg/ml injection, according to a press release from the manufacturer.

Ixekizumab targets IL-17A and is approved for patients with plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

Citrate-free ixekizumab showed an 86% reduction in pain when compared to the original formulation. This new citrate-free formulation is the same formulation of the drug, just without the citrate buffers that are responsible for burning, stinging, and pain experienced at the injection site during injection. 

"Today is an exciting milestone for the nearly 30 million people around the world who live with the challenging symptoms of these autoimmune diseases that affect the skin and joints,” said April Armstrong, MD, MPH, professor of dermatology and associate dean of clinical research at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, in a press release. “In my 6 years of prescribing [ixekizumab], I've seen firsthand the significant impact [ixekizumab] has had for patients across multiple indications. The availability of [ixekizumab] as a citrate-free formulation represents an important advance in patient care that will allow more patients to experience less injection-site pain,” 

Citrate-free ixekizumab will now start replacing the original formulation and should be available across the US by the end of August 2022. 

Disclosures: MD /alert could not confirm financial disclosures at the time of reporting.

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