If you have a certain kind of autoimmune condition, your doctor might suggest Inflectra as a treatment option for you.

Inflectra is a prescription medication that’s used in adults to treat:

The Inflectra is also used in some children to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Inflectra is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into your vein over a period of time). You’ll receive Inflectra doses at your doctor’s office or another healthcare facility.

The active ingredient in Inflectra is infliximab-dyyb. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) Inflectra belongs to a group of drugs called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers.

This article describes Inflectra’s dosing, its strength, and how to take the drug. To learn more about Inflectra, see this in-depth article.

Note: This article covers Inflectra’s typical dosages, which are provided by the drug’s manufacturer. But your doctor will determine the dosage of Inflectra that’s best for treating your condition.

Inflectra’s dosing schedule and dosage for its approved uses are described below.

What is Inflectra’s form?

Inflectra is mixed into a liquid solution that’s given as an intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into your vein over a period of time). You’ll receive Inflectra doses at your doctor’s office or another healthcare facility.

What strength does Inflectra come in?

Inflectra is available in one strength: 100 milligrams (mg) per vial.

What are the usual dosages of Inflectra?

The information below describes Inflectra infusion dosages that are commonly used or recommended.

Your doctor will prescribe the Inflectra dose that’s right for you. Your doctor may use a dosing calculator to determine your dose of Inflectra based on your body weight in kilograms (kg).*

Inflectra doesn’t have a loading dose (a dose given at the beginning of treatment that’s higher than your normal dose). Typically, the starting dose of Inflectra is the same as your maintenance dose (the dose that keeps a drug at steady levels in your body during treatment).

With Inflectra’s initial dosing schedule, you’ll receive infusions on weeks 0 (first dose), 2, and 6. Then you’ll receive maintenance doses at regular intervals (such as every 8 weeks) to help manage your condition.

The drug manufacturer doesn’t give a specific maximum dose of Inflectra. But the highest recommended dose is 10 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight. You can learn more about Inflectra’s dosage in the drug’s prescribing information.

* One kg is equal to about 2.2 pounds (lb).

Dosage for Crohn’s disease

The recommended dose for adults with Crohn’s disease is 5 mg/kg of body weight. Your doctor will calculate your dose based on your weight. (For details on the dosage used in children, see “What’s the dosage of Inflectra for children?” section below.)

You’ll receive one dose at weeks 0 (first dose), 2, and 6. Then, you’ll receive one dose every 8 weeks.

Depending on how your body responds to Inflectra, your doctor may increase your dosage to 10 mg/kg every 8 weeks.

Dosage for rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

The recommended dose for RA is 3 mg/kg of body weight. Your doctor will calculate your dose based on your weight.

You’ll receive one dose at weeks 0 (first dose), 2, and 6. Then, you’ll receive one dose every 8 weeks.

Depending on how your body responds to Inflectra, your doctor may increase your dosage to 10 mg/kg given every 4 or 8 weeks.

For treating RA, Inflectra is used with methotrexate (Trexall, Rasuvo, Otrexup, and others).

Dosage for anklylosing spondylitis

The recommended dose of Inflectra for ankylosing spondylitis is 5 mg/kg of body weight. Your doctor will calculate your dose based on your weight.

You’ll receive one dose of Inflectra at weeks 0 (first dose), 2, and 6. Then, you’ll receive a dose every 6 weeks.

Dosage for ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis, and plaque psoriasis

The Inflectra dosage is the same for adults with ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis, and plaque psoriasis. The recommended dose is 5 mg/kg of body weight. Your doctor will calculate your dosage based on your body weight.

You’ll receive one dose of Inflectra at weeks 0 (first dose), 2, and 6. Then, you’ll receive a dose every 8 weeks.

To learn about the dosage used in children with ulcerative colitis, see the section directly below.

What’s the dosage of Inflectra for children?

Inflectra is used in children ages 6 years and older to treat moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease that didn’t respond well to other treatments.

The recommended Inflectra dosage for children with either condition is 5 milligrams per kilogram* (mg/kg) of body weight. Your child’s doctor will determine the correct dose based on your child’s weight.

Your child will receive one dose at weeks 0 (first dose), 2, and 6. Then, they’ll receive one dose every 8 weeks.

* One kg is equal to about 2.2 pounds (lb).

Is Inflectra used long term?

Yes, Inflectra is typically used as a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that Inflectra is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely use it long term.

Inflectra is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into your vein over a period of time). You’ll receive Inflectra doses at your doctor’s office or another healthcare facility. Each infusion will take at least 2 hours.

To help prevent infusion-related reactions, your doctor may give you certain medications before you receive Inflectra. Examples of these drugs include antihistamines, corticosteroids, and acetaminophen.

If you develop a reaction during the infusion, your doctor may slow the rate of your infusion or stop your infusion. If you have a more serious reaction, your doctor may stop your Inflectra treatment and switch you to a different medication.

Examples of infusion-related reactions include:

Infusion-related reactions can happen up to 2 hours after your infusion. For this reason, your doctor will monitor you for a period of time after each Inflectra infusion.

It’s important to keep all of your appointments to receive Inflectra infusions. Call your doctor’s office right away if you miss an appointment for an infusion. They can help reschedule your appointment and adjust your future dosage schedule if needed.

If you need help remembering your appointment for your dose of Inflectra, try using a medication reminder. This can include setting an alarm or downloading a reminder app on your phone.

The dosage of Inflectra your doctor prescribes may depend on several factors. These include:

  • how your body responds to the drug
  • your body weight
  • which condition Inflectra is being used to treat

The sections above describe the usual dosages provided by the drug’s manufacturer. If your doctor recommends Inflectra for you, they’ll prescribe the dosage that’s right for you.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your current dosage.

Here are some examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor:

  • Is Inflectra’s dosage the same as Remicade’s?
  • Will my dosage of Inflectra change if I’m taking other medications with it?
  • If I have bothersome side effects, will my dosage change?
  • If I miss my Inflectra infusion appointment, how will you adjust my dosage schedule?

You can learn more about some of Inflectra’s uses by signing up for Healthline’s newsletters for psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

You can also find support and read personal stories from the Bezzy communities for RA, IBD, and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Q:

Will my Inflectra dosage be increased if the drug isn’t working well enough for me?

Anonymous

A:

Possibly. For most conditions Inflectra is used to treat, the typical dosage is 5 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight. But if you use Inflectra to treat Crohn’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), your doctor may increase your dosage to 10 mg/kg. They may prescribe this dosage if your body isn’t responding to Inflectra as well as when you started treatment.

For RA treatment, your doctor may also adjust your dosage schedule so you receive one Inflectra infusion every 4 weeks (instead of every 8 weeks, as usual).

If you’re concerned that Inflectra isn’t working well enough for you, talk with your doctor.

The Healthline Pharmacist TeamAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.