ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms, keeping joint damage from getting worse, and improving physical function in patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. ENBREL can be taken with methotrexate or used alone. Read more
Many insurance plans cover ENBREL. Your actual cost may vary depending on your dose, insurance coverage, and eligibility for support programs. Talk to your insurance provider for specific information about your prescription coverage.
Read more about paying for ENBREL.If you have Medicare, you can sign up for a plan that can help cover the cost of ENBREL. Our Amgen SupportPlus Representatives can help patients understand their Medicare coverage. Amgen SupportPlus Representatives are available 8 AM–8 PM ET, 5 days a week (Monday through Friday). Just call 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735).
Read more about Medicare.Medicaid coverage varies by state and provider. Talk to your Medicaid provider for specific information about your prescription coverage.
Your healthcare provider (e.g., your rheumatologist or doctor’s office) should work with your insurance company to complete prior authorization.
Your doctor will recommend the best dose and dosing schedule for you. Always follow their instructions. But in general, the recommended dosage of ENBREL is as follows:
CONDITION
RECOMMENDED DOSING
Adult patients with moderate to severe RA, PsA, or AS
50 mg, once weekly
Adult patients with moderate to severe PsO
For the first 3 months: 50 mg, twice weekly
After the first 3 months: 50 mg, once weekly
Your doctor will recommend the best dose and dosing schedule for your child. Always follow their instructions. But in general, the recommended dosage of ENBREL is based on weight, as follows:
CONDITION
RECOMMENDED DOSING
Pediatric patients (ages 2 years and older) with moderate to severe JIA
For patients weighing 138 lb (63 kg) or more: 50 mg, once weekly
For patients weighing less than 138 lb (63 kg): 1.76 mg per lb (0.8 mg per kg), once weekly—with a maximum dose of 50 mg per week
Pediatric patients (ages 4 years and older) with moderate to severe PsO
For patients weighing 138 lb (63 kg) or more: 50 mg, once weekly
For patients weighing less than 138 lb (63 kg): 1.76 mg per lb (0.8 mg per kg), once weekly—with a maximum dose of 50 mg per week
Call your doctor to find out when you should take your next dose. It’s important to take ENBREL as scheduled.
Your doctor or nurse will train you on how to inject ENBREL. Remember to thoroughly review the Instructions for Use for any device that comes with your ENBREL medication you plan to use before injecting with ENBREL. Those instructions cover everything you need to know about how to use ENBREL. You can also watch the injection demo videos on our Getting Started with ENBREL page to supplement the information you get from your doctor or nurse.
For one-on-one supplemental injection support, Amgen Nurse Partners* can help you get more comfortable injecting on your own. They offer support when it’s most convenient for you: via video chat or over the phone. To enroll in the Amgen® Nurse Partner program, call 1-888-4ENBREL
(1-888-436-2735), 8 AM–8 PM ET, Monday through Friday.
*Amgen Nurse Partners are only available to patients that are prescribed certain Amgen products. They are not part of your treatment team and do not provide medical advice, nursing, or case management services. Amgen Nurse Partners will not inject patients with Amgen medications. Patients should always consult their healthcare provider regarding medical decisions or treatment concerns.
You can inject ENBREL on the front of the middle thigh, or on your stomach (except for the 2-inch area around your belly button). If someone else is giving you the injection, they can do so on the outer area of your upper arm. Choose a different site each time you give yourself an injection. If you need to use the same injection site, just make sure it is not on the same spot that you used last time. Do not inject into areas where the skin is tender, bruised, red, or hard. Avoid injecting into areas with scars or stretch marks.
Want a refresher? Watch a demo video on our Getting Started with ENBREL page.
Skin reactions around the injection area, such as redness, pain, swelling, itching, or bruising have happened. On average, these symptoms go away within 3 to 5 days. If you have any of these reactions and they don’t go away or they get worse, call your doctor.
Injecting cold ENBREL can be uncomfortable. To help make it more comfortable, take ENBREL out of the fridge and wait for it to reach room temperature (which should take at least 30 minutes before injecting). Do not remove the white cap from the ENBREL SureClick® autoinjector until you are ready to inject. Do not warm it in a microwave or in hot water, and do not remove the needle cover while you wait. Keep these guidelines in mind:
For more on how to store your ENBREL at room temperature, click here.
Sometimes this can happen. Some common ENBREL injection site reactions include redness, pain, swelling, itching, or bruising. However, these symptoms tend to go away within 3 to 5 days. If they don’t go away
(or if they get worse), call your doctor.
If a needle or an injection device is damaged in any way, don’t try to use it or fix it. Don’t throw it away either. Call 1-888-4ENBREL
(1-888-436-2735), 8 AM–8 PM ET, Monday through Friday, and we will help you.
Right after injecting, discard your needle, syringe, vials, SureClick® autoinjector, or ENBREL Mini® single-dose prefilled cartridge in a puncture-resistant sharps disposal container. You can buy one at your local pharmacy. Do not recap or reuse any of the items listed above.
The most common side effects of ENBREL are infections (like the common cold, sinusitis, and the flu) and injection site reactions. Injection site reactions have occurred, such as redness, itching, pain, swelling, bleeding, or bruising. These symptoms usually go away within 3 to 5 days. If you have pain, redness, or swelling around the injection site that does not go away or gets worse, call your healthcare provider.
Learn more about the possible side effects.
If you get an infection, especially one with a fever, you need to contact your doctor right away.
Learn more about the possible side effects.
Your vaccinations should be brought up to date before starting ENBREL. While you are taking ENBREL, you may be able to get some vaccines, including certain types of flu shots. You should not receive any live vaccines while taking ENBREL. Talk to your doctor before receiving vaccines, including flu shots if you are taking ENBREL.
ENBREL should be kept cool—between 36°F and 46°F (2°C and 8°C; the standard temperature range of most refrigerators). However, ENBREL can also be stored at room temperature between 68°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C) for up to 30 days. Once ENBREL has reached room temperature, do not put it back in the refrigerator. Throw away ENBREL that has been stored at room temperature after 30 days.
Learn more about storage and travel.
ENBREL can stay at room temperature between 68°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C) for up to 30 days. However, once it reaches room temperature, you cannot put it back in the fridge. Throw away ENBREL that has been stored at room temperature for more than 30 days.
Learn more about storage and travel.
Check with your airline before you travel. They can tell you whether you can carry needles, syringes, or injection devices onto the plane. It is also a good idea to carry a copy of your prescription or a doctor’s note to show airport security. Notify the screener if you are carrying a sharps disposal container in your carry-on baggage.
Learn more about storage and travel.
Before starting ENBREL, you should tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant. ENBREL should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.
Nursing mothers should know that ENBREL can pass into breast milk and may harm nursing infants. Work with your doctor to decide whether you will take ENBREL or breastfeed. You should not do both.
Sometimes surgery increases your chances of getting an infection. Because ENBREL can also increase your risk of getting an infection, your doctor may want you to stop taking ENBREL for a while before and after your operation.
Yes. If you are sensitive to latex, do not handle the SureClick® autoinjector, ENBREL Mini® single-dose prefilled cartridge, or the prefilled syringe. The needle cover of the prefilled syringe, needle cover within the white cap of the SureClick® autoinjector, and needle cover within the purple cap of the ENBREL Mini® single-dose prefilled cartridge are made of dry natural rubber (which comes from latex). Talk to your doctor about the best injection method for you.
In moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, ENBREL can be taken with or without methotrexate to help reduce joint pain and help stop additional joint damage.
In medical studies of patients with moderate to severe RA, ENBREL was proven to help reduce joint pain and stop further joint damage better than methotrexate alone. And people taking ENBREL for 6 months had less joint pain and damage than people who only took methotrexate. Your results may vary. Ask your doctor if ENBREL and methotrexate could work for you.
Prescription Enbrel® (etanercept) is taken (given) by injection.
What is the most important information I should know about ENBREL?
ENBREL is a medicine that affects your immune system. ENBREL can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. Serious infections have happened in patients taking ENBREL. These infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some patients have died from these infections. Your healthcare provider should test you for TB before you take ENBREL and monitor you closely for TB before, during, and after ENBREL treatment, even if you have tested negative for TB.
There have been some cases of unusual cancers, some resulting in death, reported in children and teenage patients who started using tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers before 18 years of age. Also, for children, teenagers, and adults taking TNF blockers, including ENBREL, the chances of getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase. Patients with RA may be more likely to get lymphoma.
Before starting ENBREL, tell your healthcare provider if you:
What are the possible side effects of ENBREL?
ENBREL can cause serious side effects including: New infections or worsening of infections you already have; hepatitis B can become active if you already have had it; nervous system problems, such as multiple sclerosis, seizures, or inflammation of the nerves of the eyes; blood problems (some fatal); new or worsening heart failure; new or worsening psoriasis; allergic reactions; autoimmune reactions, including a lupus-like syndrome and autoimmune hepatitis.
Common side effects include: Injection site reactions and upper respiratory infections (sinus infections).
In general, side effects in children were similar in frequency and type as those seen in adult patients. The types of infections reported were generally mild and similar to those usually seen in children.
These are not all the side effects with ENBREL. Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away.
If you have any questions about this information, be sure to discuss them with your healthcare provider. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.
Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms, keeping joint damage from getting worse, and improving physical function in patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. ENBREL can be taken with methotrexate or used alone.
Psoriatic Arthritis
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms, keeping joint damage from getting worse, and improving physical function in patients with psoriatic arthritis. ENBREL can be used with or without methotrexate.
Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis
ENBREL is indicated for chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PsO) in children 4 years and older and adults who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (ultraviolet light).
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis.
Moderately to Severely Active Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in children ages 2 years and older.
Prescription Enbrel® (etanercept) is taken (given) by injection.
What is the most important information I should know about ENBREL?
ENBREL is a medicine that affects your immune system. ENBREL can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections.