Humira dosage, forms, and strengths

Humira is a brand-name prescription drug used to treat inflammatory autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and similar conditions. Adalimumab, the active ingredient in Humira, is a biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD). It is a human antibody that suppresses the immune system by targeting one immune system molecule. By dialing back the immune system, adalimumab reduces the swelling, symptoms, and damage caused by autoimmune conditions. Humira is self-injected beneath the skin once per week or once every two weeks using either an injection pen or pre-filled syringe.

RELATED: What is Humira? | Get Humira discounts 

Humira forms and strengths

Humira is a self-administered subcutaneous injection. People will use either a single-dose Humira pen injector or a single-dose pre-filled syringe, both of which are available in several different dose strengths: 

• Single-dose pen injector: 40 mg per 0.4 mL, 40 mg per 0.8 mL, 80 mg per 0.8 mL

• Single-dose pre-filled syringe: 10 mg per 0.1 mL, 10 mg per 0.2 mL, 20 mg per 0.2 mL, 20 mg per 0.4 mL, 40 mg per 0.4 mL, 40 mg per 0.8 mL, 80 mg per 0.8 mL

AbbVie, the manufacturer of Humira, also offers citrate-free Humira pen injectors and pre-filled syringes. These are injected the same way as Humira but are less likely to produce injection site reactions. 

Humira dosage for adults

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Humira for use in adult patients to treat rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, uveitis (inflammation of the eye), and hidradenitis suppurativa, an autoimmune disease of the sweat glands. 

Source: Epocrates

Humira dosage for inflammatory arthritis

Humira is used to reduce symptoms, slow down physical damage, and improve functioning in people with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (inflammatory arthritis of the spine), and psoriatic arthritis. Adalimumab is a human antibody that inhibits tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a protein that the body’s immune system uses to stimulate an inflammatory response. TNF blockers stop the inflammatory response, reducing the swelling, pain, and tissue damage of inflammatory arthritis.

• Standard dosage for rheumatoid arthritis: 40 mg on day one and then 40 mg once per week or 80 mg once every two weeks for patients not taking methotrexate (MTX)

• Standard dosage for ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis: 40 mg once every two weeks

Humira dosage for inflammatory bowel disease

Humira is used to control moderate to severe flare-ups of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition in which the immune system attacks healthy cells in the colon and other parts of the digestive system. IBD is diagnosed either as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis affects the entire colon lining while Crohn’s disease affects all layers in the colon and possibly other parts of the digestive system. Humira reduces IBD disease activity by suppressing the immune system. The initial dose is high (160 mg), but it can be split into two doses over the first two consecutive days.

• Standard dosage for inflammatory bowel disease: 160 mg on day one (or split into two 80 mg doses on the first two consecutive days), 80 mg on day 15, and then 40 mg once every two weeks starting on day 29 until clinical remission or eight weeks of treatment (day 57).

Humira dosage for plaque psoriasis

Humira is used in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for drug therapy or phototherapy. Plaque psoriasis is a skin condition that occurs when the immune system attacks healthy skin cells. It is characterized by a thick build-up of dead cells on various parts of the skin. 

• Standard dosage for rheumatoid arthritis: 80 mg starting dose on day one and then a 40 mg maintenance dose once every two weeks starting on day eight

Humira dosage for uveitis

Humira is FDA-approved to treat some forms of uveitis—inflammation of the inner layers of the eye—in adults and children as young as 2 years old. Uveitis has many causes, including infection. When an infection is the cause of the swelling, Humira is not used. As an immunosuppressant, Humira would only make the infection worse. For infectious uveitis, antibiotics, antivirals, and corticosteroids are the drug of choice. For non-infectious uveitis, Humira is used only when some layers of the back of the eye are swollen (intermediate uveitis and posterior uveitis) or all layers in the eye are swollen (panuveitis).

• Standard dosage for uveitis: 80 mg on day one and then 40 mg once every two weeks starting on day eight

Humira dosage for hidradenitis suppurativa

Humira is also used to reduce skin lumps and sores in people 12 years and older with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic autoimmune condition in which sweat glands swell into sometimes painful and pus-draining lumps or sores, usually in the armpits or groin. Hidradenitis suppurativa is caused by an overactive immune system attacking healthy sweat glands. Humira works by weakening the immune system response to allow lumps and sores to heal.

• Standard standard dosage for moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa: 160 mg on day one (can be split into two 80 mg doses on the first two consecutive days), 80 mg on day 15, and then 40 mg once per week or 80 mg once every two weeks

Humira dosage for children

Humira is approved to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and uveitis in children 2 years of age and older, ulcerative colitis in children 5 years and older, Crohn’s disease in children 6 years and older, and moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa in children 12 years and older. The dose of Humira in children is based on body weight.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common form of arthritis in children. It occurs when the immune system attacks healthy cells in the joints, causing swelling, pain, and structural damage. There are several types of JIA, but the most common are oligoarthritis, which affects four or less joints, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which affects five or more joints. As with adults, Humira reduces the swelling, symptoms, and damage caused by JIA by suppressing the immune system.

1 kilogram (kg)=2.2 pounds

Source: Epocrates

Humira dosage restrictions

Humira does not have any dosage restrictions or contraindications. However, because it is an immunosuppressant, people taking Humira are at an increased risk of serious infections and cancer. For this reason, healthcare providers may not start someone on Humira if he or she already has an active bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, a latent infection of tuberculosis or hepatitis B, malignancies, or skin cancer. 

TNF blockers like Humira may also cause a worsening of congestive heart failure (CHF), so patients with CHF will be monitored closely. Humira could also cause the worsening of certain nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis, optic neuritis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Again, close monitoring will be required.

Discontinuation of Humira is mandatory in any patient who has a serious allergic reaction to the medicine. In a few rare cases, some people may develop a lupus-like syndrome while taking Humira. These patients will have to stop taking Humira as well. 

How to take Humira

While the first dose may be administered by a healthcare professional in a clinic or hospital, most doses of Humira will be self-injected beneath the skin using a single-dose Humira pen injector or pre-filled syringe. Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind while taking Humira:

• Take Humira as directed by a healthcare provider.

• A healthcare provider will provide in-person instruction on proper injection technique. 

• You will be shown body areas where injections should be given. Rotate injection sites by using a different body area each time a shot is given. Keep track of where injections are made to make sure that body area isn’t used on the next shot. 

• Do not inject into skin areas that are red, bruised, tender, or hard. For psoriasis patients, do not inject into a raised, thick, red, or scaly skin patch or into a skin lesion.

• This medicine should come with a medication guide, prescribing information, and instructions for use. If any of these are missing, ask a pharmacist for a copy. 

• To protect the medicine from light, keep Humira and supplies in the original packages until they are ready to be used.

• Store the pen injector or pre-filled syringe in the refrigerator (36°F to 46°F). Do not freeze it. If it freezes, Humira cannot be used, even if it’s thawed. 

• The Humira pen injector or pre-filled syringe can be removed from the refrigerator 15 to 30 minutes before the injection is given to allow the medicine to come to room temperature.

• If traveling, Humira can be stored at room temperature for up to 14 days.

Humira dosage FAQs

How long does it take Humira to work?

It depends on the condition being treated, but people taking Humira should experience symptom relief in two to four weeks, but it may take as long as three to four months. 

How long does Humira stay in your system?

Humira has a half-life of 10–20 days, so it could take up to six months to clear the last dose of adalimumab from the body.

What happens if I miss a dose of Humira?

Take a missed dose as soon as it’s remembered. Take the next dose as scheduled.

What interacts with Humira?

Humira has several side effects, but drug interactions can also be a problem. In particular, Humira suppresses the immune system, so healthcare providers should avoid prescribing it with other immune-suppressing drugs such as Orencia (abatacept), Kineret (anakinra), Remicade (infliximab), Imuran (azathioprine), or Purinethol (6-mercaptopurine). Some of these, like anakinra, are biologic DMARDs that treat autoimmune conditions just like Humira. Some, like azathioprine, are anti-cancer treatments.

Because Humira suppresses the immune system, live vaccines could produce serious infections. For this reason, they are never given with Humira. Other vaccines are not dangerous, but Humira may reduce their effectiveness. As a general rule, people should be completely caught up on their vaccines before taking Humira.

Is it safe to take Humira during pregnancy?

There is no evidence that Humira can cause birth defects or miscarriage. However, adalimumab does cross the placenta during the third trimester and may affect the baby’s immune system, so expectant mothers should seek medical advice about the risks and benefits of Humira treatment during the later stages of a pregnancy.

Women can take Humira while breastfeeding. Although adalimumab is present in breast milk, it is a protein that the baby’s digestive system will break down into amino acids so it shouldn’t cause adverse reactions.

Related resources for Humira dosages:

• Adalimumab drug summary, Prescriber’s Digital Reference

• Adalimumab side effects, IBD Clinic University of Alberta

• Humira adult dosing, Epocrates

• Humira prescribing information, U.S. National Library of Medicine

• Humira, AbbVie

• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Arthritis Foundation