Ustekinumab

Ustekinumab, sold under the brand name Stelara among others, is a monoclonal antibody medication used for the treatment of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, targeting both IL-12 and IL-23. It is administered either by intravenous infusion or subcutaneous injection. The antibody targets a subunit of human interleukin 12 and interleukin 23, which are naturally occurring proteins that regulate the immune system and immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. Ustekinumab was developed by Centocor Ortho Biotech. Ustekinumab (an immunosuppressant interleukin inhibitor) is a fully human IgG1κ monoclonal antibody that binds to the shared p40 protein subunit of interleukin (IL) 12 and 23, thereby preventing them from binding to the IL-12Rβ1 receptor protein expressed on the surface of immune cells. By doing so, ustekinumab prevents the activation of the Th1 and Th17 cytokine pathways, which are central to the pathology of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Ustekinumab is approved to treat Crohn's disease in the United States, Israel, Australia, and the European Union; and ulcerative colitis in the United States, and in the European Union to people who have not responded to more traditional treatments. It was found not effective for multiple sclerosis. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.