Package Leaflet: Information for the Patient
Apremilast Stada 10 mg+ 20 mg + 30 mgfilm-coated tablets EFG
(treatment initiation pack)
Apremilast Stada 30 mg film-coated tablets EFG
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Contents of the pack
Apremilast Stada contains the active substance “apremilast”. It belongs to a group of medicines called phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors, which help to reduce inflammation.
What apremilast is used for
Apremilast is used to treat adults with the following diseases:
Apremilast is used to treat children and adolescents from 6 years of age and weighing at least 20 kg with the following condition:
What is psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints, usually accompanied by psoriasis, an inflammatory disease of the skin.
What is plaque psoriasis
Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease of the skin, which can produce red, scaly, thickened, itchy, or painful lesions on the skin, and can also affect the scalp and nails.
What is Behçet's disease
Behçet's disease is a rare type of inflammatory disease that affects many parts of the body. The most common problem is oral ulcers.
How apremilast works
Psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, and Behçet's disease are usually chronic diseases that currently have no cure. Apremilast works by reducing the activity of an enzyme in the body called “phosphodiesterase 4”, which is involved in the inflammatory process. By reducing the activity of this enzyme, apremilast can help control the inflammation associated with psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, and Behçet's disease, and thus reduce the signs and symptoms of these diseases.
In adults with psoriatic arthritis, treatment with apremilast results in an improvement in inflamed and painful joints and can improve overall physical function.
In adults and in children and adolescents from 6 years of age and weighing at least 20 kg with psoriasis, treatment with apremilast reduces psoriasis plaques on the skin and other signs and symptoms of the disease.
In adults with Behçet's disease, treatment with apremilast reduces the number of oral ulcers and can make them disappear completely. It can also reduce associated pain.
Apremilast has also shown that it improves the quality of life of adult and pediatric patients with psoriasis, adult patients with psoriatic arthritis, and adult patients with Behçet's disease. This means that the impact of your disease on daily activities, relationships, and other factors should be less than before.
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take apremilast.
Depression and suicidal thoughts
Tell your doctor before starting treatment with apremilast if you have depression that could worsen with suicidal thoughts.
You or your caregiver should also immediately inform your doctor of any change in behavior or mood, feelings of depression, and any suicidal thoughts you may have after taking apremilast.
Severe kidney problems
If you have severe kidney problems, the dose will be different, see section 3.
If you have a weight below normal
Talk to your doctor while taking apremilast if you lose weight without wanting to.
Gastrointestinal problems
If you suffer from severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting, you should inform your doctor.
Children and adolescents
The use of apremilast is not recommended in children with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are under 6 years of age or weigh less than 20 kg, as it has not been studied in these age and weight groups.
The use of apremilast is not recommended in children and adolescents under 18 years of age for other indications, as safety and efficacy have not been established in this age group.
Other medicines and Apremilast Stada
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription and herbal medicines. This is because apremilast can affect the way other medicines work. Also, some medicines can affect the way apremilast works.
In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take apremilast if you are taking any of the following medicines:
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
DO NOT take apremilast if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
There is limited information on the effects of apremilast during pregnancy. You should not become pregnant while taking this medicine and should use effective contraceptive methods during treatment with apremilast.
It is not known whether this medicine passes into breast milk. Apremilast should not be used while breastfeeding.
Driving and using machines
Apremilast has no influence on the ability to drive and use machines.
Apremilast Stada contains lactose and sodium
This medicine contains lactose (a type of sugar). If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to some sugars, consult them before taking this medicine.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per recommended dose (30 mg twice a day), i.e., it is essentially “sodium-free”.
How much to take
Adults
Day | Morning dose | Evening dose | Total daily dose |
Day 1 | 10 mg (pink) | Do not take the dose | 10 mg |
Day 2 | 10 mg (pink) | 10 mg (pink) | 20 mg |
Day 3 | 10 mg (pink) | 20 mg (brown) | 30 mg |
Day 4 | 20 mg (brown) | 20 mg (brown) | 40 mg |
Day 5 | 20 mg (brown) | 30 mg (beige) | 50 mg |
Day 6 onwards | 30 mg (beige) | 30 mg (beige) | 60 mg |
Children and adolescents from 6 years of age and older
For patients weighing from 20 kg to less than 50 kg*:the recommended dose of apremilast is 20 mg twice a day after completing the titration phase, as shown in the table below, one dose of 20 mg in the morning and one dose of 20 mg in the evening, approximately every 12 hours, with or without food. This makes a total daily dose of 40 mg.
Weight of 20 kg to less than 50 kg* | |||
Day | Morning dose | Evening dose | Total daily dose |
Day 1 | 10 mg (pink) | Do not take the dose | 10 mg |
Day 2 | 10 mg (pink) | 10 mg (pink) | 20 mg |
Day 3 | 10 mg (pink) | 20 mg (brown) | 30 mg |
Day 4 | 20 mg (brown) | 20 mg (brown) | 40 mg |
Day 5 | 20 mg (brown) | 20 mg (brown) | 40 mg |
Day 6 onwards | 20 mg (brown) | 20 mg (brown) | 40 mg |
For patients weighing 50 kg or more:the recommended dose of apremilast is 30 mg twice a day after completing the titration phase (the same as the adult dose), as shown in the table below, one dose of 30 mg in the morning and one dose of 30 mg in the evening, approximately every 12 hours, with or without food. This makes a total daily dose of 60 mg.
Weight of 50 kg or more | |||
Day | Morning dose | Evening dose | Total daily dose |
Day 1 | 10 mg (pink) | Do not take the dose | 10 mg |
Day 2 | 10 mg (pink) | 10 mg (pink) | 20 mg |
Day 3 | 10 mg (pink) | 20 mg (brown) | 30 mg |
Day 4 | 20 mg (brown) | 20 mg (brown) | 40 mg |
Day 5 | 20 mg (brown) | 30 mg (beige) | 50 mg |
Day 6 onwards | 30 mg (beige) | 30 mg (beige) | 60 mg |
Patients with severe kidney problems
If you are an adult with severe kidney problems, the recommended dose of apremilast is 30 mg once a day (morning dose).
In children and adolescents from 6 years of age and older with severe kidney impairment, the recommended dose of apremilast is 30 mg once a day (morning dose) for patients weighing 50 kg or more, and for children weighing 20 kg to less than 50 kg, the recommended dose of apremilast is 20 mg once a day (morning dose).
Your doctor will tell you how to increase the dose when you start taking apremilast for the first time. Your doctor may advise you to take only the morning dose that applies to your case as shown in the table above (for adults or for children/adolescents) and skip the evening dose.
How and when to take apremilast
If your disease does not improve after six months of treatment, consult your doctor.
If you take more Apremilast Stada than you should
If you take more apremilast than you should, consult a doctor or go to a hospital immediately. Take the medicine pack and this leaflet with you.
In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or call the Toxicology Information Service, phone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medicine and the amount ingested.
If you forget to take Apremilast Stada
If you stop taking Apremilast Stada
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not all people suffer from them.
Severe Adverse Effects, Depression, and Suicidal Thoughts
Inform your doctor immediately of any change in behavior and mood, feelings of depression, thoughts, or suicidal behavior (this is rare).
Very Common Adverse Effects(may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Common Adverse Effects(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Uncommon Adverse Effects(may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Frequency Not Known(cannot be estimated from the available data)
If you are 65 years or older, you may have a higher risk of suffering from severe diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. If your intestinal problems become severe, you should talk to your doctor.
Reporting Adverse Effects
If you experience any type of adverse effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is an adverse effect that is not listed in this prospectus. You can also report them directly through the national reporting system included in the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Use Medicines: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting adverse effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiration date that appears on the blister or packaging after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
This medicine does not require special storage conditions.
Medicines should not be thrown away through wastewater or household waste. Deposit the packaging and medicines you no longer need at the SIGRE collection point in the pharmacy. In case of doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medicines you no longer need. This way, you will help protect the environment.
The active ingredient is apremilast.
Each film-coated tablet contains 10 mg, 20 mg, or 30 mg of apremilast.
The other components are:
Core of the tablet: powdered cellulose, lactose monohydrate, calcium carbonate, pregelatinized corn starch, crospovidone, and sodium stearyl fumarate.
Film coating:
10 mg tablets: hypromellose (E464), macrogol (E1521), titanium dioxide (E171), and red iron oxide (E172).
20 mg tablets: hypromellose (E464), macrogol (E1521), titanium dioxide (E171), yellow iron oxide (E172), and red iron oxide (E172).
30 mg tablets: hypromellose (E464), titanium dioxide (E171), macrogol (E1521), red iron oxide (E172), yellow iron oxide (E172), and black iron oxide (E172).
Appearance of the Product and Package Contents
Apremilast Stada 10 mg are film-coated tablets, pink, biconvex, oval (8 mm long and 4 mm wide).
Apremilast Stada 20 mg are film-coated tablets, brown, biconvex, oval (10 mm long and 5 mm wide).
Apremilast Stada 30 mg are film-coated tablets, beige, biconvex, oval (13 mm long and 6 mm wide).
Package sizes
Apremilast Stada 30 mg is available in PVC/Aluminum blisters in packages of 56 or 168 film-coated tablets or in single-dose PVC/Aluminum blisters in packages of 56 or 168 film-coated tablets.
Apremilast Stada 10 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg are available in PVC/Aluminum blisters in packages of 27 film-coated tablets (4 tablets of 10 mg, 4 tablets of 20 mg, 19 tablets of 30 mg) or single-dose PVC/Aluminum blisters in packages of 27 film-coated tablets (4 tablets of 10 mg, 4 tablets of 20 mg, 19 tablets of 30 mg).
Not all package sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorization Holder
Stada Arzneimittel AG
Stadastrasse 2-18
61118 Bad Vilbel
Germany
Local Representative
Laboratorio STADA, S.L.
Frederic Mompou, 5
08960 Sant Just Desvern (Barcelona)
Spain
info@stada.es
Manufacturer
Stada Arzneimittel AG
Stadastrasse 2-18
61118 Bad Vilbel
Germany
Stada Arzneimittel GmbH
Muthgasse 36
Vienna 1190
Austria
Clonmel Healthcare Ltd.
Waterford Road, Clonmel
E91 D768 Co. Tipperary
Ireland
Centrafarm Services B.V.
Van de Reijstraat 31-E
4814 NE Breda
Netherlands
This medicine is authorized in the Member States of the European Economic Area under the following names:
Sweden Apremilast STADA 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 10 mg + 20 mg + 30 mg film-coated tablets
Austria Apremilast STADA 30 mg Filmtabletten
Apremilast STADA Starter pack 10 mg + 20 mg + 30 mg Filmtabletten
Belgium Apremilast EG 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast EG 10 mg/20 mg/30 mg film-coated tablets
Cyprus APREMILAST/STADA 30 mg film-coated tablets
APREMILAST/STADA 10 mg/20 mg/30 mg film-coated tablets
Germany Apremilast STADA 30 mg Filmtabletten
Apremilast STADA 10 mg + 20 mg + 30 mg Filmtabletten
Denmark Apremilast STADA
Spain Apremilast STADA 30 mg film-coated tablets EFG
Apremilast STADA 10 mg 20 mg 30 mg film-coated tablets EFG
Finland Apremilast STADA 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 10 mg + 20 mg + 30 mg film-coated tablets
France APREMILAST STADA 30 mg, film-coated tablet
APREMILAST STADA 10 mg, film-coated tablet
APREMILAST STADA 20 mg, film-coated tablet
APREMILAST STADA 30 mg, film-coated tablet
Greece APREMILAST/STADA
Hungary Apremilast STADA 30mg film tablet
Apremilast STADA 10mg film tablet
Apremilast STADA 20mg film tablet
Apremilast STADA 30mg film tablet
Ireland Apremilast Clonmel 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Clonmel 10 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Clonmel 20 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Clonmel 30 mg film-coated tablets
Iceland Apremilast STADA 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 10 mg + 20 mg + 30 film-coated tablets
Italy Apremilast EG
Luxembourg Apremilast EG 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast EG 10 mg/20 mg/30 mg film-coated tablets
Netherlands Apremilast STADA 30 mg, film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 10 mg + 20 mg + 30 mg, film-coated tablets
Norway Apremilast STADA
Slovakia Apremilast STADA 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 10mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 20mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 30mg film-coated tablets
Malta Apremilast Clonmel 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Clonmel 10 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Clonmel 20 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Clonmel 30 mg film-coated tablets
Romania Apremilast Stada 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Stada 10 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Stada 20 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast Stada 30 mg film-coated tablets
Slovenia Apremilast STADA 30 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 10 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 20 mg film-coated tablets
Apremilast STADA 30 mg film-coated tablets
Date of the Last Revision of this Prospectus:June 2025
Detailed information about this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es.