How Tremfya works: Mechanism of action explained
How it works
How long it takes to work
Tremfya (guselkumab) is a prescription drug that treats psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, and ulcerative colitis. Its mechanism of action is binding to interleukin-23 that's overactive.
Tremfya belongs to a class of medications called interleukin-23 blockers. It's a type of biologic called a monoclonal antibody, which is a protein that attaches to substances in the body.
Tremfya works by binding to interleukin-23 (a protein in the body) that's overactive. By binding to this protein, Tremfya decreases how active your immune system is to ease inflammation and decrease symptoms of your condition.
The way a drug works is known medically as its mechanism of action. The mechanism of action for Tremfya may vary depending on the condition it's being used to treat.
Tremfya is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat certain conditions, including psoriatic arthritis.
When you have psoriatic arthritis, your immune system (your body's defense against infections) is overactive. It attacks healthy tissues and cells, causing joint pain and inflammation. It also causes your body to make too many skin cells, leading to a buildup of cells and areas called plaques. These plaques are flushed, itchy patches on your skin.
Tremfya is FDA-approved to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This condition is one of many types of psoriasis.
When you have plaque psoriasis, your immune system is overactive. It causes your body to make too many skin cells, leading to a buildup of cells and areas called plaques. These plaques are itchy patches on your skin. They may look pink or be darker than your skin color. Sometimes, they may look white and scaly.
Tremfya may be an option for plaque psoriasis treatment if you can receive either: systemic therapy (treatment that affects your whole body), or
phototherapy (treatment with light)
Tremfya is FDA approved to treat moderate to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults. When UC is active, it's causing symptoms. Tremfya is prescribed to help put UC in remission and keep it there. With remission, you have few or no symptoms of the condition.
Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the colon and rectum. It's thought to result from overactivity in a person's immune system.
With UC, you have inflammation in your colon, rectum, or both. In severe cases, ulcers can also form in these areas. Symptoms of this condition include blood in your stool, diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramps, and weight loss.
For this condition, Tremfya is typically prescribed alone. Your doctor may also prescribe nonbiologics to treat an ulcerative colitis flare-up.
Tremfya is FDA approved to treat Crohn's disease. Like UC, Crohn's disease is a type of IBD. Unlike UC, which affects the colon and rectum, Crohn's disease can affect your entire digestive system, including your stomach, intestines, and colon.
To find out more about Crohn's disease, visit our IBD hub.
In clinical trials, people with plaque psoriasis often experienced a reduction in symptoms after receiving three doses of Tremfya over 16 weeks.
Also, more than half of the people receiving Tremfya for psoriatic arthritis in clinical trials experienced a decrease in symptoms after 16 weeks of treatment.
In a clinical trial of Tremfya for UC, more than half of the people receiving the drug experienced a decrease in symptoms after 12 weeks. Some people also experienced remission (few or no symptoms of UC).
If you have more questions about how long it takes for Tremfya to work, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
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. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
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