Xeljanz vs. Otezla

Xeljanz (tofacitinib citrate) and Otezla (apremilast) are used to treat different types of arthritis.

Xeljanz is used to treat adults with moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not responded well to methotrexate, or cannot tolerate it.

Otezla is used to treat adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis.

Xeljanz and Otezla belong to different drug classes. Xeljanz is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor and Otezla is a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor.

Side effects of Xeljanz and Otezla that are similar include upper respiratory tract infections, headache, diarrhea, and runny or stuffy nose.

Side effects of Xeljanz that are different from Otezla include and cold symptoms such as sore throat.

Side effects of Otezla that are different from Xeljanz include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, indigestion/heartburn, decreased appetite, insomnia, back pain, frequent bowel movements, depression, bronchitis, tooth abscess, and sinus headache.

Xeljanz may interact with aprepitant, bosentan, conivaptan, haloperidol, imatinib, isoniazid, St. John's wort, ticlopidine, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, hepatitis C medications boceprevir or telaprevir, heart or blood pressure medicines, HIV or AIDS medicines, medications to treat excess stomach acid, medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other arthritis medications, seizure medications, and steroids.

Otezla may interact with CYP450 inducers (such as rifampin).

Side effects of Xeljanz include:

Common side effects of Xeljanz include:

• upper respiratory tract infections,
• headache,
• diarrhea, and
• cold symptoms such as sore throat, runny or stuffy nose.

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Xeljanz including:

• feeling very tired,
• yellow skin or eyes (jaundice),
• loss of appetite,
• vomiting,
• dark urine,
• clay-colored stool,
• skin rash,
• clay-colored stools,
• skin rash,
• fever or chills,
• night sweats,
• weight loss,
• changes in bowel habits,
• pain or burning when you urinate,
• sores in your mouth or throat,
• stabbing chest pain,
• shortness of breath,
• cough with mucus or blood, or
• skin redness or swelling.

Common side effects of Otezla include:

• diarrhea,
• headache,
• nausea,
• upper respiratory tract infection,
• vomiting,
• runny or stuffy nose,
• abdominal pain,
• fatigue,
• indigestion/heartburn,
• decreased appetite,
• insomnia,
• back pain,
• frequent bowel movements,
• depression,
• bronchitis,
• tooth abscess, and
• sinus headache.

Xeljanz (tofacitinib citrate) is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor used to treat adults with moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have not responded well to methotrexate, or cannot tolerate it.

Otezla (apremilast) is a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor used to treat adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis.

Xeljanz may interact with aprepitant, bosentan, conivaptan, haloperidol, imatinib, isoniazid, St. John's wort, ticlopidine, antibiotics, antidepressants, antifungals, hepatitis C medications boceprevir or telaprevir, heart or blood pressure medicines, HIV or AIDS medicines, medications to treat excess stomach acid, medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other arthritis medications, seizure medications, or steroids. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Otezla may interact with CYP450 inducers (such as rifampin).

The recommended dose of Xeljanz is 5 mg twice daily.

The recommended maintenance dosage is 30 mg twice daily taken orally starting on Day 6, after 5 days of an initial schedule of titration dosing.