Risankizumab (Skyrizi) for Psoriasis: A Complete India-Focused Guide
Risankizumab, sold as Skyrizi, has some of the strongest complete skin-clearance data of any psoriasis biologic currently in use worldwide. For Indian patients, though, understanding how to actually access it matters just as much as understanding how well it works. This guide covers both.
What Is Risankizumab and How Does It Work?
Risankizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody manufactured by AbbVie that selectively targets the p19 subunit of interleukin-23 (IL-23) — the same broad pathway targeted by guselkumab and tildrakizumab, but with a specific binding approach that AbbVie’s trials suggest may contribute to its notably high complete-clearance rates. It was first approved by the FDA in 2019 and is now also approved for psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, reflecting how central this immune pathway is across several inflammatory conditions.
Is Risankizumab Available in India?
Risankizumab (Skyrizi) is not currently registered for commercial sale in India. Like guselkumab and ixekizumab, it is accessible to Indian patients primarily through a Named Patient Program, a CDSCO-regulated import route that lets a doctor prescribe an unapproved-in-India medicine for an individual patient under a specific import permit. Multiple specialty pharmacy facilitators in India (based in Delhi and elsewhere) advertise this service, generally quoting “price on request” rather than a published retail price, since each import shipment involves duties and facilitation costs that vary by order.
If a doctor suggests risankizumab, it’s worth asking upfront how the import process would actually work for your specific case, how long it typically takes from prescription to first dose, and what documentation (like the import permit and prescription) you’ll need to provide.
Risankizumab Dosing
The standard labeled dosing for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis is:
- 150 mg by subcutaneous injection at Week 0
- 150 mg again at Week 4
- 150 mg every 12 weeks thereafter as maintenance
This means just four maintenance injections per year after the initial two loading doses — one of the least frequent schedules among approved psoriasis biologics.
How Effective Is Risankizumab?
In head-to-head trials against other biologics (including adalimumab and ustekinumab), risankizumab has shown some of the highest PASI 90 and PASI 100 response rates recorded for any psoriasis biologic, with a substantial proportion of patients reaching complete skin clearance by 16 weeks and maintaining that response well beyond a year of continued treatment. This is part of why it’s frequently discussed as a strong option for patients who haven’t achieved full clearance on other systemic treatments.
Cost Reality for Indian Patients
Given its import-only status, risankizumab is one of the more expensive options to access from India specifically because of added import logistics, on top of an already premium-priced biologic internationally. If cost predictability and treatment continuity are priorities, it’s worth discussing this openly against locally available alternatives, including secukinumab or Sun Pharma’s India-launched tildrakizumab, both of which avoid the added complexity of individual import for every dose cycle.
Side Effects and Safety Screening
Common side effects reported in trials include upper respiratory infections, headache, fatigue, injection site reactions, and fungal skin infections (tinea). As with all biologics targeting the IL-23/IL-17 axis, screening for latent tuberculosis and other active infections is standard practice before the first dose.
This article is for general education and does not replace a consultation with a qualified dermatologist. Drug availability and import regulations can change; confirm current status directly with your treating doctor or a licensed specialty pharmacy before making treatment decisions.
