Taltz vs. Otezla

Taltz (ixekizumab) injection and Otezla (apremilast) are used to treat adults with psoriasis.

Taltz is used to treat adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.

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

Taltz and Otezla belong to different drug classes. Taltz is a humanized interleukin-17A antagonist and Otezla is a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor.

Side effects of Taltz and Otezla that are similar include upper respiratory tract infections (runny or stuffy nose, rhinovirus infections) and nausea.

Side effects of Taltz that are different from Otezla include injection site reactions (redness, pain) and fungal infections (ringworm, athlete's foot and jock itch).

Side effects of Otezla that are different from Taltz include diarrhea, headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, indigestion/heartburn, decreased appetite, insomnia, back pain, frequent bowel movements, depression, bronchitis, tooth abscess, sinus headache, hypersensitivity, weight loss, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), migraine, cough, and rash.

Taltz may interact with "live" vaccines, warfarin, and cyclosporine.

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

Common side effects of Taltz include:

• injection site reactions (redness, pain)
• upper respiratory tract infections (runny or stuffy nose, rhinovirus infections)
• nausea, and
• fungal infections (ringworm, athlete's foot and jock itch)

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.

Taltz (ixekizumab) injection is a humanized interleukin-17A antagonist indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.

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

Taltz may interact with "live" vaccines, warfarin, and cyclosporine. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use and all vaccines you recently received.

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

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.

The recommended dose of Taltz is 160 mg (two 80 mg injections) at Week 0, followed by 80 mg at Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12, then 80 mg every 4 weeks.