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Certolizumab Pegol
Certolizumab pegol is a medicine often used for relieving the signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. It helps decrease inflammation by blocking a naturally occurring chemical in the body that is involved in inflammation and other immune system functions. The medication is given as an injection at your healthcare provider's office. Side effects may include joint pain, bladder infection, and the common cold.
Certolizumab pegol (Cimzia®) is a prescription medication approved to treat Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
(Click What Is Certolizumab Pegol Used For? for more information on what the medication is used for, including possible off-label uses.)
As with any medicine, certolizumab pegol may cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.
Some of the most common side effects include, but are not limited to:
- Upper respiratory tract infections (such as the common cold)
- Urinary tract infections (such as a bladder infection)
- Joint pain.
(Click Side Effects of Certolizumab Pegol to learn more, including potentially serious side effects that you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD