If you have a certain kind of psoriasis, your doctor might suggest Siliq as a treatment option. It’s a prescription drug used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults.

Siliq’s active ingredient is brodalumab. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) Brodalumab is a biologic drug, which means it’s made in a laboratory from living cells. It belongs to a group of drugs called interleukin-17 receptor antagonists.

Siliq comes as a liquid solution in a prefilled syringe that you or your doctor inject under your skin.

This article describes the dosage of Siliq, as well as its strength and how to use it. To learn more about Siliq, see this in-depth article.

Note: This chart highlights the basics of Siliq’s dosage. Be sure to read on for more detail. And keep in mind that this article covers Siliq’s standard dosage schedule, which is provided by the drug’s manufacturer. But always follow the dosing instructions your doctor prescribes.

Recommended Siliq starting dose Recommended Siliq maintenance dose
210 milligrams (mg) once per week for 3 weeks Twice a week, there is a dose of 210mg once every 2 weeks.

“Siliq administration and dosing information is covered in this section. Your doctor will discuss the drug’s dose with you.”

What is Siliq’s form?

Siliq comes as a liquid solution in a single-dose, prefilled syringe that you or your doctor inject under your skin.

What strengths does Siliq come in?

The Siliq syringes have a single strength of 210 milligrams per 1.5 liters of liquid.

What are the usual dosages of Siliq?

The information below describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. But be sure to follow the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. They’ll determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Your doctor will usually prescribe a loading. You will get this starting dose for 3 weeks. You will give yourself a maintenance dose, which is the same dose of Siliq you were given.

The following is a recommended schedule for Siliq.

  • For 3 weeks, you will get 210mg once per week.
  • Twice a week, there is a dose of 210mg once every 2 weeks.

Is Siliq used long term?

Your doctor will decide how long you’ll use Siliq based on how your psoriasis responds to it. If you and your doctor determine that Siliq is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely use it long term.

Siliq will be evaluated by your doctor after 12 to 16 weeks of treatment. If the medication is not helping you, your doctor may want you to try a different medication.

If you miss a Siliq dose, you should inject it as soon as possible. If it is close to your next dose, call your doctor or pharmacist. They will let you know if you should inject the missed dose or not.

If you need help remembering to inject your dose of Siliq on time, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm or downloading a reminder app on your phone.

Siliq comes as a liquid solution in a single-dose, prefilled syringe that you or your doctor inject under your skin. You’ll likely receive your first injection from a healthcare professional in a doctor’s office or clinic. Once they’ve shown you how to do it, you can give yourself the injections at home.

You can inject Siliq into the areas.

  • If someone else is giving you the injection, you have the outer area of your arm.
  • The area around your belly button is 2 inches around your stomach area.
  • Your thigh.

It is recommended that you change injection sites when you inject a dose.

For detailed instructions and videos on how to inject this drug, visit the manufacturer’s website.

For information on Siliq expiration, storage, and disposal, see this article.

Accessible drug containers and labels

“If you can’t read the prescription label on your medication, you should tell your doctor or pharmacist. Some pharmacies may provide medication labels.”

  • Large print or use of blind.
  • You can use a code on a phone to change the text to sound.

“If your current pharmacy doesn’t offer accessibility features, your doctor or pharmacist may be able to recommend a new pharmacy.”

If you inject more Siliq than your doctor prescribes, you can have serious side effects.

What to do in case you inject too much Siliq

Call your doctor right away if you think you’ve injected too much Siliq. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach the American Association of Poison Control Centers or use its online resource. If you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 (or your local emergency number) or go to the nearest emergency room.

There are answers to some questions about Siliq.

Can I hold my Siliq prefilled syringe in my palm to warm it up?

No, you should not use a heat source to bring your Siliq syringe to room temperature. Leave the medication out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes to warm it up. Do not leave it in the sun or use a microwave oven to warm it.

Is there a children’s dosage for Siliq?

There is no children’s dosage for Siliq. This drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat plaque psoriasis in adults only.

The dosages provided by the drug manufacturer are described in the sections above. If your doctor recommends Siliq, they will prescribe the correct amount for you.

Remember, you should not change your dosage of Siliq without your doctor’s recommendation. Only use Siliq exactly as prescribed. Talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your current dosage. Here are some examples of questions you may want to ask them:

  • Is a different Siliq dosage riskier than the same one?
  • Will you change my Siliq dosage if I have liver problems?
  • Would I need to stop Siliq if I developed an infection?

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Q:

“I don’t understand why I need to stop using Siliq after 12 to 16 weeks of treatment.”

Anonymous

A:

Due to the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior*, Siliq’s manufacturer doesn’t recommend continuing treatment for longer than 12 to 16 weeks if Siliq isn’t working. It was found in studies that the drug was unlikely to work if symptoms had not eased in this timeframe.

“If you don’t see a reduction in your symptoms after 16 weeks of treatment, you should let your doctor know. They can recommend an alternative treatment if you stop the drug.”

* Siliq has a boxed warning for the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. For more information about this warning, see the “Boxed warning section” at the beginning of the article.

The Healthline Pharmacist TeamAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Disclaimer: Healthline 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.