Enbrel

Enbrel is commonly prescribed to reduce the signs and symptoms of several conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. The medication comes in an injectable form that is given once or twice a week. Side effects of Enbrel include reactions at the injection site, headaches, and runny nose. However, most people have no problems with the medication.

 

What Is Enbrel?

Enbrel® (etanercept) is a prescription medication that is approved to treat several inflammatory conditions that affect the joints and skin.
 

Who Makes It?

Enbrel is made by Amgen.
 

What Is Enbrel Used For?

Specific uses of Enbrel include reducing the signs and symptoms of the following conditions:
 
The medication has also been shown to decrease the damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. However, it is not a cure for rheumatoid arthritis or any of the other conditions mentioned.
 
(Click Enbrel Uses for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
 

How Does It Work?

Enbrel is part of a class of medicines known as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, or TNF inhibitors for short. As the name of the drug class implies, Enbrel blocks the activity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha is a naturally occurring chemical in the body that is involved in inflammation and other immune system functions.
 
People with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or ankylosing spondylitis often have higher levels of TNF. These high levels of TNF-alpha can cause inflammation and lead to problems such as swollen, painful joints and raised, thick, red, scaly patches. By blocking TNF-alpha, Enbrel helps to keep the immune system from attacking the body, which improves symptoms and, in some cases, prevents future damage from occurring.
 

Effects of Enbrel

Enbrel has been studied in several clinical trials for the following conditions:
 
Rheumatoid Arthritis
In clinical studies looking at the drug as a rheumatoid arthritis treatment, Enbrel was shown to improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. More of the people taking it showed improvement compared to those who were not. During these studies, people usually noticed improvement within the first one or two weeks of treatment. Enbrel also improved the physical joint changes that occur in rheumatoid arthritis.
 
Other studies have shown that combining it with methotrexate (Rheumatrex®) improves the effectiveness of Enbrel for rheumatoid arthritis.
 
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
Another study looked at using Enbrel for the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, 24 percent of the children and teenagers taking the drug experienced an arthritis flare, compared to 77 percent of those not taking it.
 
Psoriatic Arthritis
In a study of Enbrel for psoriatic arthritis, it was shown to reduce pain and other psoriatic arthritis symptoms, including stiffness in the morning. Also, while the physical joint changes in most of the people who were not taking the medication got worse, the joint changes in people who were taking it did not get worse.
 
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Clinical studies have shown that Enbrel is effective for improving the symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis. The medication also improved the physical changes that occur with this condition.
 
Plaque Psoriasis
In clinical studies for plaque psoriasis, Enbrel has been shown to improve the symptoms of plaque psoriasis. These studies did not include people with other types of psoriasis.
 

When and How to Take It

Some general considerations for when and how to take Enbrel include the following:
 
  • The medication is taken as an injection once or twice a week.
     
  • Your healthcare provider may give you the injections or you can give them to yourself at home if you feel comfortable doing so.
     
  • If you will be giving your own injections, your healthcare provider should show you exactly how to inject Enbrel.
     
  • For Enbrel to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. The medication will not work if you stop taking it.
     

Dosing Information

The dose of Enbrel your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • The medical condition being treated
  • Other medical conditions you may have
  • Other medications you may be taking.
     
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 
(Click Enbrel Dosage for more information.)
 

Side Effects of Enbrel

As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Enbrel. However, not everyone who takes it will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it well. If side effects do occur, in many cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can be easily treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.
 
The most common side effects include:
 
  • Reactions at the injection site (redness, rash, swelling, itching, or bruising)
  • Infections
  • Headaches
  • Irritated or runny nose.
     
Serious infections are rare, but can be potentially life-threatening.
 
(Click Enbrel Side Effects to learn more, including other serious side effects to report to your healthcare provider.)
 
You can also read about specific side effects in the following eMedTV articles:
 

Drug Interactions

Enbrel can potentially interact with a number of medicines (see Enbrel Drug Interactions for more information).
 

What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Enbrel?

You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking this drug if you have:
 
 
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
 
 
Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
 
(Click Enbrel Warnings and Precautions for more information, including information on who should not take the drug.)
 

What If I Take an Overdose?

The exact effects of an overdose with Enbrel are not known. This is because there have been limited cases of people taking too much. In small studies, people who took large doses did not have any problems.
 
(Click Enbrel Overdose for more information.)
 

How Should Enbrel Be Stored?

Enbrel should always be kept in its original container. Store the medication in the refrigerator (do not freeze it) and protect it from light. If you are traveling, keep Enbrel in a cooler with an ice pack and do not expose it to light. You may let your dose warm up to room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before injecting (this may help with injection pain).
 
Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.
 

What Should I Do If I Miss a Dose?

If you do not take your Enbrel as scheduled, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose.
 

Available Strengths

Enbrel injections are available in the following forms:
 
  • Enbrel prefilled syringes -- which contain 50 mg of medication
  • Enbrel SureClick™ -- which also contains 50 mg of medication
  • Enbrel multiple-use vials -- which contain 25 mg of medication per milliliter (mL).
     
SureClick is an automatic injecting device that people may find easier to use. Both the prefilled syringes and SureClick come in kits with four syringes containing Enbrel and everything you need to give the injections. The multiuse vials (used for children or people taking doses other than 50 mg) come in a kit of four 25-mg vials and everything you need to mix and inject Enbrel (although you may need more supplies that do not come in the kit, including needles).
 
Enbrel also comes in a multidose vial for use by healthcare providers.
 

Generic Enbrel

There are currently no generic versions of Enbrel licensed for sale (see Generic Enbrel for more information).
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;