Yes, Skyrizi is an injection. For most conditions it treats, you inject it under the skin (subcutaneously) at home using a prefilled device. The one exception is the initial treatment phase for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which starts with intravenous (IV) infusions at a healthcare facility before switching to at-home injections for ongoing maintenance.
Skyrizi is a monoclonal antibody, a large protein molecule that would be broken down in your digestive system if you swallowed it as a pill. That’s why it needs to be injected directly into your body, either under the skin or into a vein.
Three Device Options for Self-Injection
Skyrizi comes in three subcutaneous delivery formats, and which one you use depends largely on what condition you’re treating.
- Prefilled pen: An automatic injector you hold against your skin and activate with a button press. It’s the most straightforward option and a good fit if you’re uncomfortable around needles, since the needle stays hidden throughout the process.
- Prefilled syringe: A manual option where you control the speed of the injection yourself. Some people find this less painful because they can push the plunger slowly. Each syringe holds 1 mL of solution and uses a thin 27-gauge needle.
- On-body injector (OBI): A wearable device that sticks to your skin and delivers a larger volume of medication over about 5 minutes. It stops automatically when the full dose is delivered. This device is typically used for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis maintenance doses, which require a higher volume than the pen or syringe can handle.
Where and How to Inject
The recommended injection sites are the front of your thighs or your abdomen, at least two inches away from your belly button. You should rotate between sites with each injection to avoid irritation in one spot. A caregiver can also inject into the back of your upper arm if you can’t reach a comfortable site yourself.
Before injecting, you need to let the medication warm up. Take the carton out of the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. The pen needs 30 to 90 minutes to warm up, while the syringe needs 15 to 30 minutes. Injecting cold medication can be more uncomfortable, so this step matters.
Dosing Schedules by Condition
How often you inject and what device you use varies based on your diagnosis.
For plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, the standard dose is 150 mg delivered as a single 1 mL injection. You’ll typically give yourself two starter doses four weeks apart, then continue with one injection every 12 weeks (about every three months). That infrequent schedule is one of the reasons Skyrizi appeals to many patients compared to treatments requiring weekly or biweekly injections.
For Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the process is more involved. Treatment begins with three IV infusions of 600 mg each, given at a clinic or infusion center at weeks 0, 4, and 8. Each infusion takes at least one hour. After that induction phase, you switch to subcutaneous injections at home starting at week 12, then every 8 weeks going forward. The maintenance dose for these conditions is higher (180 mg or 360 mg), which is why the on-body injector is often used.
Storing Your Injections
Skyrizi needs to be kept in the refrigerator between 36°F and 46°F (2°C to 8°C). Keep it in the original carton to protect it from light. Don’t freeze it, and don’t shake it. The only time it should be out of the fridge is when you’re warming it up before an injection. If you’re traveling, a small insulated cooler with ice packs works, but plan your timing so the medication doesn’t sit at room temperature longer than necessary.
Why It Can’t Be a Pill
Skyrizi works by blocking a specific immune signaling protein called IL-23 that drives inflammation in conditions like psoriasis and Crohn’s disease. To do this, it uses a large, carefully engineered antibody molecule. Your stomach acid and digestive enzymes would shred that molecule before it ever reached your bloodstream. Injection bypasses the digestive system entirely, delivering the intact antibody directly into your body where it can circulate and find its target. This is the same reason insulin, many cancer therapies, and other biologic medications require injection rather than oral dosing.