Abrilada vs. Orencia

Abrilada (adalimumab-afzb) and Orencia (abatacept) 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 Orencia (adalimumab).

Orencia is also used to treat arthritis in children who are at least 6 years old.

Abrilada and Orencia belong to different drug classes. Abrilada is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker and Orencia is a recombinant DNA generated fusion protein.

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

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

Side effects of Orencia that are different from Abrilada include nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, indigestion, dizziness, flushing, back pain, and cold symptoms such as stuffy head/nose, sneezing, sore throat, or cough.

Both Abrilada and Orencia may interact with anakinra and live vaccines.

Abrilada may also interact with abatacept, warfarin, cyclosporine, and theophylline.

Orencia may also interact with adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, rituximab, and tocilizumab.

Side effects of Abrilada include:

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

Common side effects of Orencia include:

• headache,
• nausea,
• diarrhea,
• stomach pain,
• indigestion,
• dizziness,
• flushing,
• back pain, or
• cold symptoms such as stuffy head/nose, sneezing, sore throat, or cough.

Serious side effects of Orencia include:

• fever,
• chills,
• night sweats,
• flu symptoms,
• weight loss,
• feeling very tired,
• fatal infections,
• shortness of breath,
• changes in the amount of urine,
• pain when urinating, and
• severe abdominal pain.

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 Orencia (adalimumab).

Orencia (abatacept) is a recombinant DNA generated fusion protein used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and to prevent joint damage caused by these conditions. Orencia is also used to treat arthritis in children who are at least 6 years old. Orencia is not a cure for any autoimmune disorder and only treats symptoms.

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.

There may be other drugs that can interact with Orencia. The prescribing doctor needs to know all medications (including herbals) that the person is taking. During pregnancy, Orencia should be used only when prescribed. It is unknown if Orencia passes into breast milk or if it would harm a nursing baby. Breastfeeding is not recommended while using this drug.

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.

Orencia is supplied in single use vials at a strength of 250mg per vial. Orencia is administered intravenously (IV) as a 30-minute infusion. Dosing is based on the patient's weight. Following the initial intravenous administration, an IV infusion is given at 2 and 4 weeks after the first infusion and every 4 weeks thereafter.