| Juvenile polyarthritis
Actemra vs Simponi ARIA
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for juvenile polyarthritis.Deep comparison between: Actemra vs Simponi Aria 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 signalsSimponi Aria has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Actemra based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Simponi Aria but not Actemra, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Actemra
Simponi Aria
At A Glance
IV infusion or SC injection
Every 4 weeks (IV) or Every week to Every other week (SC)
IL-6 receptor antagonist
IV infusion
Every 8 weeks
TNF-alpha inhibitor
Indications
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Lung disease with systemic sclerosis
- Juvenile polyarthritis
- Systemic onset juvenile chronic arthritis
- Cytokine Release Syndrome
- COVID-19 Virus Disease
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Arthritis, Psoriatic
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Juvenile polyarthritis
Dosing
Rheumatoid Arthritis IV: 4 mg/kg every 4 weeks, increase to 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks based on response; SC: 162 mg every other week (for <100 kg) or every week (for >=100 kg), increase to every week based on response.
Giant Cell Arteritis IV: 6 mg/kg every 4 weeks with tapering glucocorticoids; SC: 162 mg every week with tapering glucocorticoids (may use every other week based on clinical considerations).
Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease SC: 162 mg every week.
Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis IV: 10 mg/kg every 4 weeks (<30 kg) or 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks (>=30 kg); SC: 162 mg every 3 weeks (<30 kg) or every 2 weeks (>=30 kg).
Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis IV: 12 mg/kg every 2 weeks (<30 kg) or 8 mg/kg every 2 weeks (>=30 kg); SC: 162 mg every 2 weeks (<30 kg) or every week (>=30 kg).
Cytokine Release Syndrome IV: 12 mg/kg (<30 kg) or 8 mg/kg (>=30 kg) as single dose, alone or with corticosteroids; up to 3 additional doses at least 8 hours apart if no improvement.
COVID-19 IV: 12 mg/kg (<30 kg) or 8 mg/kg (>=30 kg) as single 60-minute infusion; one additional dose at least 8 hours later if clinical signs worsen or do not improve.
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Arthritis, Psoriatic, Ankylosing spondylitis 2 mg/kg intravenous infusion over 30 minutes at weeks 0 and 4, and every 8 weeks thereafter; RA patients must receive concomitant methotrexate.
Juvenile polyarthritis 80 mg/m2 intravenous infusion over 30 minutes at weeks 0 and 4, and every 8 weeks thereafter (body surface area-based dosing for patients 2 years of age and older).
Contraindications
- Known hypersensitivity to tocilizumab
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Adverse Reactions
Most common (>=5%) Upper respiratory tract infections, nasopharyngitis, headache, hypertension, increased ALT, injection site reactions (SC only).
Serious Serious infections (pneumonia, urinary tract infection, cellulitis, herpes zoster, gastroenteritis, diverticulitis, sepsis, bacterial arthritis), gastrointestinal perforations, hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis.
Postmarketing Fatal anaphylaxis, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS), pancreatitis, drug-induced liver injury, hepatitis, hepatic failure, jaundice, hypofibrinogenemia.
Most common (>=1%) Upper respiratory tract infection, viral infections, bacterial infections, bronchitis, hypertension, rash, pyrexia, leukopenia
Serious Serious infections (sepsis, pneumonia, cellulitis, abscess, opportunistic infections, tuberculosis), malignancies, liver enzyme elevations, infusion reactions
Postmarketing Infusion-related reactions, melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, anaphylactic reaction, sarcoidosis, interstitial lung disease, skin exfoliation, lichenoid reactions, bullous skin reactions
Pharmacology
Tocilizumab is a humanized IgG1 kappa monoclonal antibody that binds to soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptors, inhibiting IL-6-mediated signaling involved in inflammatory and immune processes.
Golimumab is a human monoclonal antibody (TNF-alpha inhibitor) that binds to both the soluble and transmembrane bioactive forms of human TNF-alpha, preventing receptor binding and inhibiting TNF-alpha biological activity, a key mediator of articular inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
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Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Actemra
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (10/12) · Step Therapy (10/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
Simponi Aria
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (9/12) · Step Therapy (9/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Actemra
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (4/8) · Step Therapy (4/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Simponi Aria
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (3/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (3/8)
Humana
Actemra
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (0/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
Simponi Aria
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (3/3) · Step Therapy (2/3) · Qty limit (3/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
No savings programs available for Actemra.
Cost estimate not availableAssistance Fund: Ankylosing Spondylitis: Waitlist
Commercial or private insurance
Medicare, Medicaid, VA, TRICARE
Final cost depends on formulary coverage
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.