| Clinically isolated syndrome
Copaxone vs Tecfidera
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for clinically isolated syndrome.Deep comparison between: Copaxone vs Tecfidera with Prescriber.AI
AI compares prescribing info and payer-specific access barriers across 1,200+ formularies. Here's a preview of what prescribers are already asking.Safety signalsTecfidera has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Copaxone based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Tecfidera but not Copaxone, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Copaxone
Tecfidera
At A Glance
SC injection
Daily or 3x weekly
Immunomodulator
Oral
Twice daily
Nrf2 pathway activator
Indications
- Clinically isolated syndrome
- Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting
- Multiple Sclerosis, Secondary Progressive
- Clinically isolated syndrome
- Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting
- Multiple Sclerosis, Secondary Progressive
Dosing
Clinically isolated syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting, Multiple Sclerosis, Secondary Progressive 20 mg/mL SC once daily OR 40 mg/mL SC three times per week (at least 48 hours apart); the two strengths are not interchangeable.
Clinically isolated syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting, Multiple Sclerosis, Secondary Progressive Starting dose 120 mg twice a day orally for 7 days; maintenance dose 240 mg twice a day orally.
Contraindications
- Known hypersensitivity to glatiramer acetate or mannitol, including anaphylaxis
- Known hypersensitivity to dimethyl fumarate or any excipient of TECFIDERA
Adverse Reactions
Most common (>=2%) Injection site erythema, pain, pruritus, mass, edema, and inflammation; vasodilatation, rash, dyspnea, chest pain, nausea, palpitations, lymphadenopathy, asthenia, anxiety, infection
Serious Anaphylactic reactions, immediate post-injection reaction, chest pain, lipoatrophy and skin necrosis, potential effects on immune response, hepatic injury
Postmarketing Sepsis, SLE syndrome, thrombosis, myocardial infarct, thrombocytopenia, lymphoma-like reaction, acute leukemia, cirrhosis, hepatic injury, anaphylactic reactions, cerebrovascular accident, pulmonary embolus, blindness
Most common (>=10%) Flushing, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea
Serious Anaphylaxis, angioedema, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, herpes zoster and other serious opportunistic infections, lymphopenia, liver injury
Postmarketing Acute pancreatitis, gastrointestinal perforation, ulceration, obstruction, and hemorrhage, liver function abnormalities, herpes zoster infection, rhinorrhea, alopecia
Pharmacology
Glatiramer acetate is an immunomodulator thought to act by modifying immune processes responsible for MS pathogenesis; upon SC administration, glatiramer acetate-specific suppressor T-cells are induced and activated in the periphery.
Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) and its active metabolite monomethyl fumarate (MMF) activate the Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) pathway involved in the cellular response to oxidative stress; the mechanism by which DMF exerts its therapeutic effect in multiple sclerosis is unknown.
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Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Copaxone
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (12/12) · Step Therapy (1/12) · Qty limit (11/12)
Tecfidera
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (10/12) · Step Therapy (10/12) · Qty limit (9/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Copaxone
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (6/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (7/8)
Tecfidera
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (1/8)
Humana
Copaxone
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (3/3) · Step Therapy (1/3) · Qty limit (3/3)
Tecfidera
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (3/3) · Step Therapy (3/3) · Qty limit (2/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
Cost estimate not availableAccessia Health: Multiple Sclerosis - Private Insurance: Waitlist
Commercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
Cost estimate not availableAccessia Health: Multiple Sclerosis - Private Insurance: Waitlist
Commercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.