Taltz (ixekizumab) is a prescription biologic medication approved to treat four inflammatory conditions: moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. It works by targeting a specific immune system protein that drives inflammation in the skin, joints, and spine. Taltz is given as an injection under the skin and is approved for adults across all four conditions and for children aged 6 and older with plaque psoriasis.
How Taltz Works
Taltz belongs to a class of drugs called IL-17A inhibitors. IL-17A is a signaling protein your immune system naturally produces as part of its inflammatory response. In conditions like psoriasis and inflammatory arthritis, IL-17A is overproduced, which recruits waves of immune cells to the skin or joints and keeps them in a constant state of inflammation.
In psoriasis specifically, excess IL-17A drives skin cells to multiply far faster than normal, creating the thick, scaly plaques characteristic of the disease. Taltz is an antibody that binds directly to IL-17A and blocks it from connecting with its receptor on cells. Without that connection, the chain reaction of inflammation slows down: fewer immune cells are recruited, less inflammatory signaling occurs, and symptoms improve. This same mechanism reduces joint inflammation and spinal inflammation in the other conditions Taltz treats.
Plaque Psoriasis
Taltz is approved for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in patients aged 6 and older who are candidates for systemic therapy (medications that work throughout the body) or light therapy. This is the condition Taltz was originally developed for, and it remains its most common use.
For adults, treatment starts with an initial loading phase: a higher first dose at week zero, followed by injections every two weeks through week 12. After that, you move to a maintenance schedule of one injection every four weeks. This front-loaded approach is designed to bring symptoms under control quickly before shifting to a less frequent schedule to maintain results. Many patients begin seeing meaningful skin clearance during the first several weeks of treatment.
For children aged 6 and older, the dose is based on body weight. Kids weighing more than about 110 pounds follow a schedule similar to adults, while lighter children receive proportionally smaller doses. Taltz has not been studied in children under 6 for plaque psoriasis.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness alongside skin symptoms. It affects up to 30% of people with psoriasis and can lead to permanent joint damage if inflammation isn’t controlled. Taltz is approved for adults with active psoriatic arthritis.
Clinical trial data from two phase III studies showed that Taltz works fast in this condition. Patients experienced statistically significant improvements in joint symptoms as early as week one, with meaningful gains in physical function also appearing within the first week. These improvements held through the 24-week study period. For people living with psoriatic arthritis, that rapid onset matters because it means less time spent waiting to find out whether a new treatment is working.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine, causing chronic back pain and stiffness that tends to be worse in the morning or after periods of rest. Over time, it can lead to fusion of the vertebrae, permanently reducing spinal mobility. Taltz is approved for adults with active ankylosing spondylitis, meaning the disease is causing ongoing symptoms despite other treatments.
Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
This condition is closely related to ankylosing spondylitis. Patients experience the same type of inflammatory back pain and stiffness, but their spine doesn’t yet show the structural damage visible on standard X-rays. Despite the lack of X-ray findings, the disease is real and can significantly affect daily life. Taltz is approved for adults with this condition who have objective signs of inflammation, typically confirmed through MRI or blood markers.
In practice, Taltz is often prescribed for non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis after a TNF inhibitor (another class of biologic) hasn’t worked well enough, isn’t tolerated, or isn’t appropriate. This positioning reflects how treatment guidelines generally approach the condition rather than a limitation of Taltz itself.
What to Know Before Starting Taltz
Because Taltz works by suppressing part of the immune system, a tuberculosis screening is required before you begin treatment. If you have latent TB, treatment for that infection needs to start before your first Taltz injection. Hepatitis B screening is also typically performed. Your provider will also want to make sure your vaccinations are up to date, since live vaccines should generally be avoided while on Taltz.
There is a small but documented risk of inflammatory bowel disease flares. In clinical trials, new cases or worsening of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis occurred more often in patients taking Taltz than in those on placebo, though the overall rates were low (0.1% for Crohn’s, 0.2% for ulcerative colitis). If you have a history of IBD or develop new stomach pain, diarrhea (with or without blood), or unexplained weight loss while on Taltz, that’s worth bringing up promptly.
How Taltz Is Given and Stored
Taltz is a self-administered injection given under the skin, available as a prefilled autoinjector or syringe. Common injection sites include the thigh, abdomen, or upper arm. Most people learn the technique during their first appointment and handle injections at home after that.
The medication needs to be kept in the refrigerator between 36°F and 46°F and protected from light. If you need to travel or can’t refrigerate it temporarily, Taltz can stay at room temperature (up to 86°F) for up to 5 days in its original carton. After those 5 days at room temperature, it must be discarded. It should never be frozen or shaken.