Many types of infusions for Crohn’s disease are biologics that can be administered through IV or skin injection. Infusions can take as little as 30 minutes to as long as 4 hours.

Treatment for Crohn’s disease has come a long way over the last several decades. One newer way of managing Crohn’s is through infusions designed to put your symptoms into complete remission.

Infusion treatments target the inflammation response in your body that triggers Crohn’s flare-ups.

Crohn’s infusions are either intravenously delivered, meaning you get them through an IV, or injected into the skin (subcutaneous). A doctor will prescribe such medications when your Crohn’s isn’t responding to other types of treatment.

Infusions for Crohn’s can take 30 minutes to several hours. A healthcare professional administers them in a sterile environment.

If your doctor thinks you’re a good candidate for an infusion, your immune system is strong enough to handle the additional side effects that infusions can cause.

If you get infusions for Crohn’s, there’s a good chance the medication you receive will be a biologic. These are drugs made from living cells that target your body’s inflammation response.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a few biologics for the treatment of Crohn’s. Each works slightly differently.

Ask your doctor about the side effects and risks of taking biologics for your particular condition.

Renflexis/Avsola/Remicade (infliximab) and IXIFI (infliximab-qbtx)

Infliximab is the generic name for several drugs used in treating moderate to severe symptoms of Crohn’s disease. IXIFI (infliximab-qbtx) is a biosimilar medication that works in the same way.

Infliximab is considered an anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drug, meaning it targets inflammation-causing proteins in your intestines.

You may develop fistulas, which are atypical connections from your intestines to other body parts, with Crohn’s disease. Infliximab-qbtx can help fistulas drain and prevent new ones from appearing.

After your first infliximab infusion, you’ll have a second and third infusion at 2 and 6 weeks. Beyond these initial three infusions, you’ll have maintenance appointments where you’ll receive an infusion every 8 weeks. Some people may receive infusions every 4 or 6 weeks.

This infusion can last 2 to 4 hours.

The dose of infliximab is 5 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight, but some people may receive 10 mg/kg.

Entyvio (vedolizumab)

Vedolizumab is classified as an anti-integrin. Your doctor may recommend it if you’ve tried anti-TNF drugs to treat Crohn’s without getting results.

This drug is currently only approved for adults. The typical dose is 300 mg. It’s administered by IV, and the infusion usually takes 30 minutes.

After your first vedolizumab infusion, you’ll get two others at 2 and 6 weeks. You’ll receive maintenance treatments every 8 weeks after that unless your doctor feels that the treatment isn’t workin, in which you’ll get it every 4 weeks instead.

Tysabri (natalizumab)

Natalizumab is an alpha-4 integrin inhibitor. It is an anti-inflammatory drug recommended for Crohn’s disease that does not respond to anti-TNF drugs.

Infusions are given every 4 weeks, but it can take about 12 weeks (or three infusion cycles) to start seeing improvements in your symptoms.

Your doctor may choose to modify your dosage, but a typical dose is 300 mg per vial.

Natalizumab may increase the risk of mental health conditions like depression.

Stelara (ustekinumab)

Stelara works slightly differently than other biologics for Crohn’s treatment. It targets two specific proteins that can be inflammation-triggering when you have Crohn’s.

Stelara is a one-time infusion that takes about an hour. You don’t need other infusions after that, but you do need maintenance self-injections every 8 weeks.

Your dose of Stelara will depend on your weight.

Before you start any infusion treatment regimen, your doctor will test you for hepatitis and tuberculosis.

Your doctor will instruct you on what to do before your first infusion appointment. Follow these instructions carefully.

You’ll need to stay in a seated or reclining position while a healthcare professional attaches an IV to your arm during the infusion process.

The medication will slowly flow through the IV into your body. This process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the dosage and treatment your doctor prescribed.

You may need to stay for observation after your first infusion is finished to make sure you do not have any allergic or other reactions to the medication. Plan to add extra time to your appointment for this observation period.

Infusions for Crohn’s disease have different side effects than oral medications, such as:

Biologic infusions carry some longer-term risks because they suppress your immune system’s response to certain germs.

If you get biologic infusions, your doctor will work with you to be vigilant about specific side effects depending on which biologic you’re taking. This can include:

  • infections
  • reduced liver function
  • joint pain (rarely with anti-TNF biologics)
  • lupus-like reactions, such as rash, muscle aches, and joint pain, from taking anti-TNF biologics

Finding an infusion center

Your doctor has the best advice for where to get Crohn’s infusions. They may also want to be the one to administer or observe your infusion, especially if it’s your first time.

If you’re still looking for an infusion center, you can use the National Infusion Center Association’s search tool.

Your doctor will typically only recommend an infusion treatment for Crohn’s disease when other methods of treatment aren’t working.

The medications used for infusion treatment can be extremely effective at slowing the progression of Crohn’s disease. A few FDA-approved options may be available to you.