IL-6 inhibitor · Biologic
Kevzara (sarilumab)
How this therapy is used at Arthritis Care of Texas in Corpus Christi, TX — what it treats, how it is given, and how often.
- Treats
- Rheumatoid arthritis · Polymyalgia rheumatica
- How given
- Self-injection at home
- How often
- Every 2 weeks
Kevzara is a disease-controlling treatment: it calms the inflammation that causes pain and stiffness and, in rheumatoid arthritis, helps protect joints from damage. Some people feel improvement within a few weeks; the full effect is judged at about 3 months. It is not a painkiller — stopping it lets inflammation return, even if you have been feeling well.
What it is
Kevzara (sarilumab) is a biologic medicine that blocks the receptor for interleukin-6 (IL-6) — a protein involved in joint inflammation, pain, and fatigue. It treats rheumatoid arthritis in adults who have not responded well enough to, or could not tolerate, other disease-modifying medicines. It is also approved for polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), a condition that causes aching and stiffness in the shoulders and hips, usually in older adults. Kevzara is a maintenance treatment that calms inflammation continuously while it is taken.
Before starting
Before starting, we screen for tuberculosis (TB) and hepatitis. Immune-calming medicines can allow hidden infections to become active, so finding and treating them first is what makes this therapy safe to use long-term. We also check blood counts, liver tests, and cholesterol before and during treatment. These labs matter because IL-6 blocking can lower certain blood counts (the white cells that fight infection and the platelets that help clotting), can raise liver enzyme levels, and commonly raises cholesterol — checking regularly means any change is caught early, when a dose adjustment is all that is needed. Live vaccines are avoided during treatment, and treatment is not started during an active infection.
How it’s given
It is an injection under the skin that you can learn to give yourself at home with a pre-filled pen, into the thigh or belly. It is taken once every 2 weeks. If your blood counts or liver tests run low, your provider may lower the dose rather than stop treatment — that flexibility is built into how this medicine is used. Store pens in the refrigerator and let one warm to room temperature for about 30 minutes before injecting, which makes it more comfortable. Rotate injection sites.
What to expect
Some people notice less pain and stiffness within the first few weeks, with the fuller effect judged at about 3 months. In PMR, Kevzara is often used to help patients taper off steroids while staying in remission. The most common side effects are redness or itching where the needle went in, cold symptoms, and urinary tract infections. Blood tests may show lower white cell or platelet counts or raised cholesterol, which is why the lab schedule matters. Because immune defence is lowered, call us promptly for fever, a cough that will not settle, burning when you pass urine, or any infection that is not improving.
Everyday guidance
If you miss a dose by a few days, take it as soon as you remember; if more than a week has passed, ask us before doubling up — never take two doses at once. Keep your lab appointments even when you feel perfectly well: the tests are checking things you cannot feel. Keep taking Kevzara even when your joints feel normal, because stopping lets inflammation return. Tell other clinicians you are on an immune-calming biologic, and check with us about vaccines and surgery. Questions: call (361) 400-7700.
Used for
Common worries
Why do I need so many blood tests?
Kevzara can quietly lower white cell and platelet counts, raise liver enzymes, and raise cholesterol — none of which you can feel. The scheduled labs catch changes early, and usually a dose adjustment is all that is needed.
Will my cholesterol really go up?
It can. IL-6 affects how the body handles fats, so cholesterol often rises on IL-6 blockers. We monitor it, and if it climbs, it is managed the usual ways — your heart health is part of the same plan.
Steroids helped my PMR fast. Why switch to this?
Steroids work quickly but carry growing risks the longer and higher they are used. Kevzara’s role in PMR is to hold the disease down so steroids can be tapered to a low dose or stopped.
Wondering whether Kevzara is right for you?
Call (361) 400-7700 to schedule a visit, or send an appointment request and we will call you to confirm.
Request an Appointment