Abrilada vs. Cimzia

Abrilada (adalimumab-afzb) and Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) are tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers used to treat Crohn's disease.

Abrilada is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis and plaque psoriasis.

Abrilada is biosimilar to Humira (adalimumab).

Side effects of Abrilada and Cimzia that are similar include infections (e.g. upper respiratory, sinusitis), injection site reactions (pain, redness, itching, swelling, or bleeding), and rash.

Side effects of Abrilada that are different from Cimzia include headache.

Side effects of Cimzia that are different from Abrilada include stuffy nose, sinus pain, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, and urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Both Abrilada and Cimzia may interact with abatacept and anakinra.

Abrilada may also interact with warfarin, cyclosporine, theophylline, and live vaccines.

Cimzia may also interact with natalizumab, rituximab, adalimumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and other drugs that weaken your immune system (such as cancer medicine, methotrexate, or steroids).

Side effects of Abrilada include:

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

Common side effects of Cimzia include:

• stuffy nose,
• sinus pain,
• stomach pain,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• injection site reactions (pain, redness, itching, swelling, or bleeding),
• upper respiratory infections (flu, cold),
• rash, and
• urinary tract infections.

Serious side effects of Cimzia include:

• serious infections,
• malignancies, and
• heart failure.

Tell your doctor if you develop signs of infection while using Cimzia, such as fever, chills, persistent sore throat, persistent cough, night sweats, trouble breathing, painful/frequent urination, unusual vaginal discharge, or white patches in the mouth (oral thrush).

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).

Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) is a TFN blocker indicated for reducing signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease and maintaining clinical response in adult patients with moderately to severely active disease.

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.

Cimzia may interact with abatacept, anakinra, natalizumab, rituximab, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or other drugs that weaken your immune system (such as cancer medicine, methotrexate, or steroids). Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with Cimzia; it is not expected to be harmful to a fetus. It is unknown if Cimzia passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. 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.

Cimzia is given by injection under the skin, in the stomach or thigh area, as directed by your doctor. Follow your doctor's directions and the schedule for your doses very carefully.