Ortikos vs. Stelara

Ortikos (budesonide) and Stelara (ustekinumab) Injection are used to treat active Crohn's disease.

Ortikos is used to treat mild to moderate active Crohn's disease involving the ileum and/or the ascending colon, in patients 8 years and older; and for maintenance of clinical remission of mild to moderate Crohn's disease involving the ileum and/or the ascending colon for up to 3 months in adults.

Stelara is used to treat adults with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease who have already taken other medicine that did not work well enough or they could not tolerate it. Stelara is also used to treat plaque psoriasis.

Ortikos and Stelara belong to different drug classes. Ortikos is a corticosteroid and Stelara is a monoclonal antibody.

Side effects of Ortikos and Stelara that are similar include headache and tiredness/fatigue.

Side effects of Ortikos that are different from Stelara include respiratory infection, nausea, back pain, indigestion/heartburn, dizziness, abdominal pain, gas (flatulence), vomiting, and pain.

Side effects of Stelara that are different from Ortikos include injection site reactions (bruising, itching, pain, redness, swelling, and hardening of the skin), cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat), diarrhea, and skin rash or itching.

Ortikos may interact with CYP3A4 Inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, grapefruit juice, itraconazole, ritonavir, indinavir, saquinavir, erythromycin, and cyclosporine).

Stelara may interact with “live” vaccines, and non-live vaccines (including flu shots).

Common side effects of Ortikos include:

• headache,
• respiratory infection,
• nausea,
• back pain,
• indigestion/heartburn,
• dizziness,
• abdominal pain,
• gas (flatulence),
• vomiting,
• fatigue, and
• pain

Common side effects of Stelara include:

• injection site reactions (bruising, itching, pain, redness, swelling, and hardening of the skin),
• cold symptoms (stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat),
• headache,
• tired feeling,
• diarrhea, or
• skin rash or itching.

Stelara can affect your immune system and can lower your body's ability to fight an infection. Tell your doctor if you develop signs of an infection, such as worsening redness/swelling/tenderness at the injection site after 2 days, fever or chills, cold or flu symptoms, severe stomach pain, or persistent nausea or vomiting.

Ortikos (budesonide) is a corticosteroid indicated for treatment of mild to moderate active Crohn's disease involving the ileum and/or the ascending colon, in patients 8 years and older; and maintenance of clinical remission of mild to moderate Crohn' disease involving the ileum and/or the ascending colon for up to 3 months in adults.

Stelara (ustekinumab) Injection is a monoclonal antibody used to treat plaque psoriasis.

Ortikos may interact with CYP3A4 Inhibitors (e.g., ketoconazole, grapefruit juice, itraconazole, ritonavir, indinavir, saquinavir, erythromycin, and cyclosporine). Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Ortikos; it may harm a fetus.

Live vaccines such as the polio and flu vaccine may interact with Stelara. Tell your doctor all medications you use, all recent vaccines you have received, and all infections you have had. Stelara may weaken your body's ability to fight infections. If you are pregnant only take Stelara if clearly needed. Exercise caution if you are taking Stelara and are breastfeeding.

The recommended adult dosage of Ortikos for mild to moderate active Crohn's disease is 9 mg once daily for up to 8 weeks; repeat 8-week treatment courses recurring episodes of active disease. The recommended dosage of Ortikos for pediatric patients 8 to 17 years who weigh more than 25 kg is 9 mg once daily for up to 8 weeks, followed by 6 mg once daily in the morning for 2 weeks.

The recommended dosage of Stelara is either 45 mg or 90 mg given on day one, then 4 weeks later, and every 12 weeks thereafter.