Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) is an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat various autoimmune diseases such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and others.
Like most liquid injectable medications used for similar conditions (e.g. Humira , Enbrel , Actemra, Orencia , Simponi , Taltz , Kevzara or Cosentyx), Cimzia is very sensitive to extremes of temperature and temperature fluctuations.
This requires special storage conditions that can maketraveling with your Cimzia prefilled syringes a challenge. Learn more about how to keep Cimzia prefilled pens and syringes cool when traveling!
Instructions for storing Cimzia pens and syringes
Cimzia is either self-administered at home as a pen or injected at your doctor's office. If your doctor has planned for you to self-administer Cimzia, you will receive it in the form of prefilled single-dose syringes or pens for subcutaneous injections.
You must take care to store your medicine properly at home because Cimzia requires very precise storage temperatures .
Cimzia, how long can you store it unrefrigerated?
According to Union Chimique Belge (UCB Company), the manufacturer of Cimzia, the prefilled syringes must be stored in a refrigerator between 2°C and 8°C . In addition, it states: "If necessary, Cimzia syringes can be stored at room temperature up to 25°C in the original carton to protect from light for a single period of up to 7 days ".
In other words, Cimzia should not be kept in the fridge for more than 7 days. Once it has been taken out of the fridge or has reached room temperature, it cannot be put back in the fridge. Under no circumstances should it be exposed to light or temperatures above 25°C, even for a short period of time.
What happens if Cimzia is stored outside the refrigerator?
Certolizumab pegol, the active substance in your Cimzia prefilled syringe, is a biological product, also called a biopharmaceutical.
Unlike chemically synthesized drugs, biologics are made from living sources such as microorganisms, plants, animals, and sometimes even human cells. Therefore, biologic drugs such as Cimzia, other RA injections, Insulin , Ozempic , Mounjaro , and many others are very temperature sensitive and can quickly spoil or become contaminated if improperly stored.
This means that if your Cimzia prefilled syringe is not stored in the refrigerator for longer than the recommended time (maximum 7 days), it will lose its effectiveness and may become contaminated by bacteria. Never inject certolizumab pegol that has not been stored according to these recommendations. If in doubt, you should throw the syringe away immediately and get a new one from the refrigerator.
How long does Cimzia remain stable at room temperature and not go bad?
The stability of Cimzia at room temperature is very short. The room temperature should be below 25°C. Laboratory tests have shown that the biological active substance certolizumab pegol begins to deteriorate and lose its effectiveness after 7 days outside the refrigerator.
Therefore, the effectiveness and safety of your Cimzia injection are no longer guaranteed after 7 days at room temperature. You should never use a Cimzia syringe that has been kept at room temperature for more than 7 days or that has been exposed to temperatures above 25°C , even temporarily.
These strict storage recommendations can make traveling with Cimzia difficult and stressful. You must use a medical travel cooler to keep your Cimzia syringes cooled or away from heat when you are away from home.
The best Cimzia cooling bag for Cimzia syringes and pens
Traveling with chronic illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease or diabetes that require refrigerated medications is difficult but not impossible.
After the first doses are administered, the maintenance regimen for Cimzia generally consists of one injection every two weeks or one injection every 4 weeks.
If your next injection is due while you are away from home, you must ensure that your Cimzia syringes are kept refrigerated (if more than 7 days) or at least protected from heat (if less than 7 days).
We at 4AllFamily can offer you the best Cimzia cooling bags to continuously transport your Cimzia prefilled pens and syringes at the right temperature.
The cool bags & cool boxes for medication when travelling from 4AllFamily
4AllFamily offers portable travel medication cooler bags and cooler boxes that will keep your medications safely chilled in any situation. Our product line includes a medical cooler box for every lifestyle and preference.
Whether you're a backpacker, a road trip enthusiast, a museum buff, a beach lover, or a business traveler, we have the best custom cooling solutions for your medications.
Our most powerful travel fridges for medication can keep your Cimzia prefilled pens and syringes chilled between 2°C and 8°C for up to 32 hours when fitted with biogel packs, and forever when plugged into a power source (when the outside temperature is 35°C). Our products are lightweight and easy to transport.
Most of our coolers can be powered by either biogel packs or electricity. The biogel pack cooling method allows you to keep your medication cold even in situations where you don't have access to electricity. This is ideal for air travel, hiking, camping or beach days, for example.
On the contrary, the power cooling method requires electricity to work, but with our USB and cigarette lighter adapters, it is compatible with pretty much any power source you can think of, such as household electricity, your car, a travel power bank, or even a portable solar panel.
All of our medication coolers are air travel safe , so you can take them on a plane with you and have the peace of mind that your Cimzia syringes are safe and perfectly chilled at all times.
If you have any doubts about which of our products is best for you, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to advise you!
More about traveling with medications that need to be refrigerated
Carrying medication that needs to be refrigerated can be stressful and nerve-wracking, but with good organization and a reliable cooler, it's no problem! Millions of people travel with refrigerated medications all year round.
Here are some tips to ensure your refrigerated medications are safe and don't spoil while traveling:
- Use a travel cooler suitable for medical purposes
- Always keep your medication in the shade
- Avoid direct sunlight
- Use a thermometer to measure the temperature.
- Pack your medications properly and keep the original containers.
- When you fly, never pack your medications in checked baggage. Always carry them in your carry-on baggage.
We hope this article has provided you with the information you were looking for. If not, please contact us or comment below!
