Ixifi (Infliximab-Qbtx) for Psoriasis

Ixifi (infliximab-qbtx) is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults with chronic severe plaque psoriasis.

The drug maintains its official FDA approval. However, its manufacturer, Pfizer, chose not to bring it to the U.S. market because they already distribute a different, competing infliximab biosimilar called Inflectra.

Pfizer had developed Ixifi independently before acquiring the company that made Inflectra, leaving them with two identical types of products. They decided to keep Inflectra for the U.S. market.

How Ixifi Works and How It’s Taken

Ixifi is a type of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker that works by blocking TNF-alpha, a protein that helps drive inflammation in the body. In plaque psoriasis, this helps reduce inflammation and calm the overactive immune response that leads to severe skin symptoms.

Doctors prescribe Ixifi for adults with chronic severe plaque psoriasis. This means psoriasis that is widespread or disabling.

Ixifi is for adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, when other treatments like this are less appropriate. Systemic therapy is treatment that works throughout the body. Phototherapy is treatment with light.

Ixifi is a biosimilar of Remicade. This means it is made from living cells and is designed to work like the original medicine. The FDA requires biosimilars to have no meaningful differences in safety or how well they work.

Ixifi is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion. Each infusion is given over at least two hours by a healthcare professional.

Typical Dosing for Plaque Psoriasis

The recommended dose of Ixifi for psoriasis is 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Your doctor will calculate the dose based on your weight.

The dosing schedule is:

At the start of treatment
Two weeks later
Six weeks after the first dose
Every eight weeks after that for maintenance treatment

This information is based on the prescribing information, but your healthcare provider may tailor your treatment plan. Always follow their guidance.

Ixifi Side Effects

In clinical studies of infliximab products in adults, the most common side effects occurred in more than 10 percent of people. They were:

Infections, such as upper respiratory infections, sinus infections, and sore throat
Infusion-related reactions
Headache
Abdominal pain

Serious Side Effects and Warnings

Ixifi can cause serious side effects that may require immediate medical attention, including:

Serious infections — These can include tuberculosis, invasive fungal infections, and other infections that can spread throughout the body.
Lymphoma and other cancers — The risk of these cancers may be higher.
Rare hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma — This has been reported mostly in adolescents and young adults with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis who were treated with TNF blockers.
Hepatitis B virus reactivation — The virus can become active again in people who carry it.
Liver injury — This can include hepatitis, jaundice, cholestasis, and, rarely, liver failure.
Heart failure — New or worsening heart failure can occur.
Serious blood problems — These can include low white blood cell levels, low platelets, or pancytopenia, which can raise the risk of infection and bleeding.
Severe allergic reactions — Anaphylaxis can cause swelling and trouble breathing.
Serious heart or brain events during or after an infusion — These can include a heart attack, stroke, abnormal heart rhythms, or major blood pressure changes during or within 24 hours after an infusion.
Nervous system problems — These can include demyelinating disorders, which affect the protective covering of nerves, such as optic neuritis or Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Lupus-like syndrome — This immune reaction can cause symptoms similar to lupus.
New or worsening psoriasis — Psoriasis can begin or flare during treatment.

Get medical help right away if you think you are having a serious reaction.

What To Know Before Taking Ixifi

Before starting Ixifi, your doctor will test you for active tuberculosis (TB), latent (inactive) TB, and hepatitis B infection.

Make sure your vaccines are up to date before starting Ixifi. You should not receive live vaccines while taking Ixifi.

Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to infliximab-qbtx or any ingredients in Ixifi. Do not take Ixifi if you have had a severe allergic reaction to infliximab products, any inactive ingredients in Ixifi, or any murine (mouse) proteins.

Tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Before starting Ixifi, tell your doctor if you:

Think you have an infection
Are being treated for an infection
Have signs of an infection, such as fever, cough, or flu-like symptoms
Have any open cuts or sores on your body
Get a lot of infections or have infections that keep coming back
Have diabetes or an immune system problem
Have liver problems
Have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB
Live, have lived, or have traveled in areas where certain fungal infections are common, such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys
Have or have had hepatitis B
Have or have had any type of cancer
Have had phototherapy for psoriasis
Have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a specific type of lung disease
Have or have had a nervous system condition, such as multiple sclerosis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
Have numbness or tingling
Have had a seizure
Have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine
Use other biologic medicines that treat the same condition as Ixifi, including abatacept (Orencia), anakinra (Kineret), tocilizumab (Actemra), or similar medicines

Tell your doctor if you have moderate or severe heart failure. People with moderate or severe heart failure should not receive Ixifi at doses higher than 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

Ixifi is also FDA-approved to treat Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis.

If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking Ixifi.

If you received Ixifi during pregnancy, tell your baby’s doctor before your baby receives any vaccines. Ixifi may increase your baby’s risk of infection.

Your baby should not receive live vaccines for at least six months after birth. Live vaccines include the BCG and rotavirus vaccines, as well as other live vaccines. Some live vaccines can cause serious infections that may lead to death.

Community FAQs

These answers are fact-checked by our editorial staff.

How effective is Ixifi for psoriasis?

In three studies of adults with chronic, stable plaque psoriasis, people received infliximab at a dose of 5 milligrams per kilogram or placebo (an inactive treatment). At week 10, 75 percent to 88 percent of people who received infliximab reached PASI 75.

PASI 75 means their psoriasis severity improved by at least 75 percent. By comparison, 2 percent to 6 percent of people who received placebo reached PASI 75.

These results show that many people had major skin improvement by 10 weeks, but not everyone did.

How effective is Ixifi for psoriatic arthritis?

In a study of 200 adults with active psoriatic arthritis, people received infliximab at a dose of 5 milligrams per kilogram or placebo.

At week 14, 58 percent of people who received infliximab reached ACR 20, compared with 11 percent of people who received placebo. At six months, people who received infliximab had better results than those who received placebo:

ACR 20 — 54 percent with infliximab compared with 16 percent with placebo
ACR 50 — 41 percent with infliximab compared with 4 percent with placebo
ACR 70 — 27 percent with infliximab compared with 2 percent with placebo

ACR 20, ACR 50, and ACR 70 mean arthritis signs and symptoms improved by at least 20 percent, 50 percent, or 70 percent. Among people who also had psoriasis affecting at least 3 percent of their body, 64 percent of those who received infliximab reached PASI 75 at week 14, compared with 2 percent of those who received placebo. The study also showed that infliximab helped slow joint damage and improve physical function in adults with psoriatic arthritis.

Should I take Ixifi for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis if I have an infection?

Do not start Ixifi if you have an active infection, including a medically important infection in one area of the body.

Ixifi can raise the risk of serious infections. These include tuberculosis, fungal infections, bacterial infections, viral infections, and other infections that may occur when the immune system is weakened.

Your doctor should watch you for signs of infection during and after treatment with Ixifi. If you develop a serious infection or sepsis, Ixifi should be stopped.