Ustekinumab STELARA®
HOW DOES STELARA WORK?
Ustekinumab belongs to the class of ‘biological drugs’. Drugs in this class are further sub-classified, based on the way they act in the body (for example; Infliximab and Adalimumab are classified as anti-TNF biologic drugs).
Ustekinumab acts in a different way, by attaching to and blocking the activity of two proteins (protein = biological molecule inside your body):
- IL-12
- IL-23
These proteins have a role in your immune response, and excess activity of these proteins has been observed in inflammatory Crohn’s disease2,3. By blocking them, ustekinumab is able to prevent the inflammation causing your symptoms.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO WORK?
It depends. If ustekinumab is effective for you, then you may notice improvements within a few days. However, it may also take six to eight weeks before noticing a response.
Just because you do not notice a response right away does not mean the medication is not working. Your IBD team will give the drug time to work before evaluating its effectiveness with you.
