Quick Tips

Here’s a quick review of the general steps for treatment with CIMZIA, once you and your doctor have agreed that CIMZIA is the right choice for you. You’ll find additional detailed information throughout CIMZIA.com, or you can always speak with your doctor or call a CIMplicity® nurse at 1-844-UCBNurse (1-844-822-6877).

Prescription icon

Getting your prescription

  • You and your doctor will determine if you will self-inject CIMZIA at home or have CIMZIA administered by a healthcare professional at your doctor's office.
  • If you will be injecting CIMZIA at home, you may be eligible for the CIMplicity® Savings Program1. To begin your enrollment today, click here to enroll in CIMplicity.
  • Your doctor will schedule any necessary tests or immunizations prior to your first injection.
  • Arrange to have your first prescription filled and sent either to your home for self-injection, to your local pharmacy for pick up, or to your doctor's office. If you are eligible for the CIMplicity® Savings Program1, you will need your card number when speaking to the specialty pharmacy.

Syringe icon

When it’s time to inject

  • Take CIMZIA as prescribed by your doctor: This may include starter doses of two 200-mg injections at day 0, day 14 (week 2), and day 28 (week 4).
  • Taking CIMZIA at home: If agreed upon by you and your doctor, your prescription will come in a prefilled syringe and you will receive injection training from your healthcare provider. 
  • Taking CIMZIA at your doctor’s office: If you will not be administering self-injections, a healthcare professional will administer CIMZIA onsite.
  • Record the date and injection site of each CIMZIA injection in a calendar, and be sure to add a reminder in your calendar for your next scheduled dose. If available, consider scheduling an automatic refill of your medication through your pharmacy.

Tips icon

Treatment tips

  • Sign up for CIMplicity®2 support services, including the CIMplicity® Savings Program1, at-home injection training, medication reminders, co-pay support, and sharps syringe disposal.
  • Take advantage of our CIMplicity® Savings Program or other financial assistance. Eligibility and maximum limits apply.
  • Always follow your doctor's instructions. For example, if prescribed starter doses of CIMZIA, take both injections as prescribed by your doctor—do not skip taking one of these injections even if you are feeling better.
  • Still have questions? Speak with someone who can help: Call a CIMplicity® nurse at 1-844-UCBNurse (1-844-822-6877), Monday-Friday, 8 AM-8 PM, ET, for help with your questions.

1Savings Card Eligibility: Available to individuals with commercial prescription insurance coverage for CIMZIA. Not valid for prescriptions that are reimbursed, in whole or in part, under Medicare (including Medicare Part D), Medicaid, similar federal-or state-funded programs (including any state prescription drug assistance programs and the Government Health Insurance Plan available in Puerto Rico), or where otherwise prohibited by law. Product dispensed pursuant to program rules and federal and state laws. Claims should not be submitted to any public payor (ie, Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap, TRICARE, VA, and DoD) for reimbursement. The maximum annual benefit amount is $15,000 per calendar year. The parties reserve the right to amend or end this program at any time without notice.

If you are uninsured, other financial assistance may be available. Call UCBCares toll free at 1-844-599-CARE (2273) for more information. The CIMplicity® program is provided as a service of UCB, Inc., and is intended to support the appropriate use of CIMZIA. Any CIMplicity program may be amended or canceled at any time without notice. Some program and eligibility restrictions apply. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions about your condition or treatment. 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.

UCB, Inc., is not liable for unintended or unauthorized use of the CIMplicity® Savings Card if it is lost or stolen.

2The CIMplicity program is provided as a service of UCB and is intended to support the appropriate use of CIMZIA. The CIMplicity program may be amended or canceled at any time without notice. Some program and eligibility restrictions may apply.

Important Safety Information you should know about CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol)

What is the most important information I should know about CIMZIA?

CIMZIA may cause serious side effects, including:

  • CIMZIA is a prescription medicine called a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blocker that can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections.
    Some people who received CIMZIA have developed serious infections, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some of these serious infections have caused hospitalization and death.
    • Your healthcare provider should test you for TB before starting CIMZIA.
    • Your healthcare provider should monitor you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with CIMZIA.

Before starting CIMZIA, tell your healthcare provider if you:

  • think you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection such as:
    • fever, sweat, or chills
    • cough
    • blood in phlegm
    • warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body
    • burning when you urinate or urinate more often than normal
    • muscle aches
    • shortness of breath
    • weight loss
    • diarrhea or stomach pain
    • feeling very tired
  • are being treated for an infection
  • get a lot of infections or have infections that keep coming back
  • have diabetes, HIV-1 or a weak immune system. People with these conditions have a higher chance for infections
  • have tuberculosis (TB), or have been in close contact with someone with TB
  • were born in, live, have lived, or traveled to certain countries where there is more risk for getting TB. Ask your healthcare provider if you are not sure.
  • live, have lived, or traveled to certain parts of the country (such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest) where there is an increased risk for getting certain kinds of fungal infections (histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, blastomycosis, and pneumocystosis). These infections may develop or become more severe if you receive CIMZIA. Ask your healthcare provider if you do not know if you have lived in an area where these infections are common.
  • have or have had hepatitis B
  • use the medicine Kineret® (anakinra), Orencia® (abatacept), Rituxan® (rituximab), or Tysabri® (natalizumab)

Stop using CIMZIA, and tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the symptoms of an infection listed above.

Cancer.

  • For people who receive TNF blockers, including CIMZIA, the chances of getting certain types of cancers may increase.
  • Some children, teenagers, and young adults who received TNF blockers, including CIMZIA, have developed lymphoma and other certain types of rare cancers, some of which have caused death. These cancers are not usually seen in this age group. CIMZIA is not for use in children.
  • People with inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis, especially those with very active disease, may be more likely to get lymphoma.
  • Some people who receive TNF blockers, including CIMZIA, have developed a rare type of cancer which may cause death, called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma. Most of these people were male teenagers and young adult males with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Also, most of these people had been treated with both a TNF blocker and another medicine called IMURAN® (azathioprine) or PURINETHOL® (6-mercaptopurine, 6-MP).
  • Some people who receive CIMZIA have developed certain types of skin cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you develop any changes in the appearance of your skin, including growths on your skin, during or after treatment with CIMZIA. You should see your healthcare provider periodically during treatment for skin examinations, especially if you have a history of skin cancer.

What is CIMZIA?

CIMZIA is a prescription medicine called a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blocker used in adults to:

  • Lessen the signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease (CD) in adults who have not been helped enough by usual treatments
  • Treat moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  • Treat active psoriatic arthritis (PsA)
  • Treat active ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
  • Treat active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with measures of inflammation
  • Treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PsO) in adults who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet light alone or with pills)

It is not known if CIMZIA is safe and effective in children.

Before receiving CIMZIA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

  • have an infection
  • have or have had lymphoma or any other type of cancer
  • have or had congestive heart failure
  • have or have had seizures, any numbness or tingling, or a disease that affects your nervous system such as multiple sclerosis or Guillain-Barre syndrome.
  • are scheduled to receive a vaccine. Do not receive a live vaccine while receiving CIMZIA.
  • are allergic to certolizumab pegol or any of the ingredients in CIMZIA. See the Medication Guide for a complete list of the ingredients in CIMZIA.
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. You and your doctor should decide if you should continue to take CIMZIA while you are pregnant. It is not known if CIMZIA will harm your unborn baby. Pregnancy Registry: If you become pregnant during treatment with CIMZIA, talk to your healthcare provider about registering in the pregnancy exposure registry for CIMZIA. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-877-311-8972. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of CIMZIA during pregnancy.
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during treatment with CIMZIA.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you takeincluding prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

How will I receive CIMZIA?

CIMZIA comes as a lyophilized powder or a solution in a prefilled syringe for injection. If your healthcare provider prescribes the CIMZIA powder, CIMZIA should be injected by a healthcare provider. If your healthcare provider prescribes the prefilled syringe, you will be trained on how to inject CIMZIA. See the booklet called “Instructions for Use” packaged in your CIMZIA prefilled syringe kit on how to inject CIMZIA the right way. Do not give yourself an injection of CIMZIA unless you have been shown by your healthcare provider, or they can train someone you know to help you with your injection. CIMZIA is given by an injection under the skin. Your healthcare provider will tell you how much and how often to inject CIMZIA. Do not use more CIMZIA or inject more often than prescribed.

What are the possible side effects of CIMZIA?

CIMZIA can cause serious side effects, including:

  • See “What is the most important information I should know about CIMZIA?”
  • Heart failure including new heart failure or worsening of heart failure you already have. Symptoms include shortness of breath, swelling of your ankles or feet, or sudden weight gain.
    Allergic reactions. Signs of an allergic reaction include a skin rash; swelling or itching of the face, tongue, lips, or throat; or trouble breathing.
    The plastic needle shield inside the removable cap of the prefilled syringe contains natural rubber and may cause an allergic reaction if you are sensitive to latex.
  • Hepatitis B virus reactivation in people who carry the virus in their blood. In some cases, people who received CIMZIA have died because of the hepatitis B virus being reactivated. Your healthcare provider should monitor you carefully before and during treatment with CIMZIA to see if you carry the hepatitis B virus in your blood. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms:
    • feel unwell
    • tiredness (fatigue)
    • pain on the right side of your stomach (abdomen)
    • skin or eyes look yellow
    • poor appetite or vomiting
  • New or worsening nervous system problems, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Guillain-Barre syndrome, seizures, or inflammation of the nerves of the eyes. Symptoms may include:
    • dizziness
    • problems with your vision
    • numbness or tingling
    • weakness in your arms or legs
  • Blood problems. Your body may not make enough of the blood cells that help fight infections or help stop bleeding. Symptoms include a fever that does not go away, bruising or bleeding very easily, or looking very pale. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any bruising, bleeding or a fever that does not go away.
  • Immune reactions including a lupus-like syndrome. Symptoms include shortness of breath, joint pain, or a rash on your cheeks or arms that worsens with sun exposure.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any serious side effects listed above.

The most common side effects of CIMZIA include upper respiratory infections (flu, cold), rash, and urinary tract infections (bladder infections).

These are not all of the possible side effects of CIMZIA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

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 the Medication Guide for CIMZIA and discuss it with your healthcare provider.