Abrilada vs. Actemra

Abrilada (adalimumab-afzb) and Actemra (tocilizumab) are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Abrilada is also used to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, adult Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and plaque psoriasis.

Abrilada is biosimilar to Humira (adalimumab).

Abrilada and Actemra belong to different drug classes. Abrilada is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker and Actemra is an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitor.

Side effects of Abrilada and Actemra that are similar include headache.

Side effects of Abrilada that are different from Actemra include infections (e.g. upper respiratory, sinusitis), injection site reactions, and rash.

Side effects of Actemra that are different from Abrilada include runny or stuffy nose, sinus pain, sore throat, dizziness, itching, mild stomach cramps, and urinary tract infection (UTI).

Both Abrilada and Actemra may interact with abatacept, anakinra, blood thinners, cyclosporine, theophylline, and live vaccines.

Actemra may also interact with birth control pills, digoxin, omeprazole, sirolimus, adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, rituximab, cholesterol-lowering medications, seizure medications, heart rhythm medications, drugs that weaken your immune system, and pain or arthritis medications.

Side effects of Abrilada include:

• Infections (e.g. upper respiratory, sinusitis),
• injection site reactions,
• headache, and
• rash

Common side effects of Actemra include:

• runny or stuffy nose,
• sinus pain,
• sore throat,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• itching,
• mild stomach cramps, or
• urinary tract infection (UTI).

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Actemra including:

• severe stomach pain with constipation,
• bloody or tarry stools,
• coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds,
• painful blistering skin rash with burning/itching/tingly feeling,
• upper stomach pain,
• vomiting,
• loss of appetite,
• dark urine,
• clay-colored stools, or
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Abrilada (adalimumab-afzb) is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, adult Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and plaque psoriasis. Abrilada is biosimilar to Humira (adalimumab).

Actemra (tocilizumab) is an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitor used to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in children and adults.

Abrilada may interact with other medicines such as:

• abatacept,
• anakinra,
• warfarin,
• cyclosporine,
• theophylline, and
• live vaccines

Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use and all vaccines you recently received.

Actemra may interact with other drugs, including birth control pills, blood thinners, cyclosporine, digoxin, omeprozole, sirolimus, theophylline, abatacept, adalimumab, anakinra, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, rituximab, cholesterol-lowering medications, seizure medications, heart rhythm medications, drugs that weaken your immune system, and pain or arthritis medications. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you take. If you are pregnant, only take Actemra if the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk to the fetus. It is not known if Actemra passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

The dose of Abrilada to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis is 40 mg every other week. The dose of Abrilada to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children is based on the child's body weight. The initial dose (Day 1) of Abrilada to treat adult Crohn's disease and ulcerative is 160 mg (four 40 mg injections in one day or two 40 mg injections per day for two consecutive days). The second dose two weeks later (Day 15) is 80 mg. Two weeks later (Day 29), begin a maintenance dose of 40 mg every other week. The dose of Abrilada to treat plaque psoriasis is 80 mg initial dose, followed by 40 mg every other week starting one week after the initial dose.

Actemra is given once every four weeks by intravenous (IV) infusion by your doctor. Actemra can be taken with or without methotrexate (or other DMARDs).