Patient Education
Information we provide on www.joint-docs.com and any other source or links from our site is not intended to provide medical advice. Information on this website is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Use of this site does not establish a doctor patient relationship. To diagnose or treat a health problem, for questions regarding a medical condition, or prior to starting any new treatment, you should consult with a qualified healthcare provider. For medical matters, please contact your doctor’s office by telephone. In emergency situations, call 911.
Tocilizumab (Actemra) is a biologic drug approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults and polyarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (PJIA) and the systemic form of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) in children. Biologic drugs are man-made through genetic engineering techniques and closely related to a protein that occurs naturally in the body. They are used to suppress the immune system in autoimmune disease.
Tocilizumab is used to treat inflammation. There are many pathways that can be blocked to stop the inflammation from harming the joints. Tocilizumab blocks the interleukin (IL)-6 receptor to stop the production of inflammation in the body. The medicine is injected once every 1-2 weeks or infused into your body through an IV each month.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
Tofacitinib citrate (Xeljanz®) is an oral, small molecule drug used to treat adults with moderate-to-severe, active rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded well to being treated with methotrexate. Methotrexate is a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Tofacitinib acts to block the body’s production of enzymes called Janus kinases (JAKs). JAKs play a role in joint inflammation in RA, which can cause pain, swelling and stiffness. If left untreated, RA inflammation could lead to joint erosions, and organ and tissue damage. It may be used alone or in combination with methotrexate or other DMARDs.
Tofacitinib is currently being studied for use in treating other autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and ankylosing spondylitis.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
