| Rheumatoid Arthritis
Actemra vs Rayos
Side-by-side clinical, coverage, and cost comparison for rheumatoid arthritis.Deep comparison between: Actemra vs Rayos 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 signalsRayos has a higher rate of injection site reactions vs Actemra based on FDA-approved prescribing information
Coverage gaps3 major payers require step therapy for Rayos but not Actemra, including UnitedHealthcare
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Category
Actemra
Rayos
At A Glance
IV infusion or SC injection
Every 4 weeks (IV) or Every week to Every other week (SC)
IL-6 receptor antagonist
Oral
Daily
Corticosteroid
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
- Dermatitis, Atopic
- Allergic rhinitis (disorder)
- Serum Sickness
- Dermatitis Herpetiformis
- Contact Dermatitis
- Exfoliative dermatitis
- Mycosis Fungoides
- Pemphigus
- Erythema Multiforme
- Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
- Hypercalcemia
- thyroiditis; nonsuppurative
- Adrenal gland hypofunction
- Crohn Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Autoimmune hemolytic anemia
- Anemia, Diamond-Blackfan
- Immune thrombocytopenic purpura
- Pure Red-Cell Aplasia
- Acute leukemia
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Cerebral Edema
- Ophthalmia, Sympathetic
- Uveitis
- Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease
- Aspergillosis, Allergic Bronchopulmonary
- Aspiration pneumonitis
- Asthma
- Tuberculosis
- Extrinsic allergic alveolitis
- Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia
- Idiopathic eosinophilic pneumonitis
- Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Pneumonia, Lipid
- Sarcoidosis
- Nephrotic Syndrome
- Primary gout
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Dermatomyositis
- Polymyalgia Rheumatica
- Arthritis, Psoriatic
- Polychondritis, Relapsing
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Sjogren's Syndrome
- Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
- Vasculitis
- Trichinellosis
- Tuberculosis, Meningeal
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.
All indications Initial dose 5-60 mg once daily with food; RAYOS releases active substance approximately 4 hours after intake. Titrate to lowest effective maintenance dose; withdraw gradually after long-term or high-dose therapy.
Contraindications
- Known hypersensitivity to tocilizumab
- Known hypersensitivity to prednisone or any excipient
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 Fluid retention, altered glucose tolerance, elevated blood pressure, behavioral and mood changes, increased appetite and weight gain
Serious Anaphylaxis, cardiac arrest, circulatory collapse, congestive heart failure, myocardial rupture, pulmonary edema, peptic ulcer with perforation and hemorrhage, osteonecrosis, pathologic fracture, adrenocortical insufficiency, convulsions, increased intracranial pressure
Postmarketing No new safety concerns identified beyond those established for immediate-release prednisone
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.
Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid with potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties that suppresses inflammatory processes (edema, capillary dilatation, leukocyte migration), modifies immune responses, and produces metabolic effects including promotion of gluconeogenesis, protein catabolism, and altered calcium and electrolyte balance.
Enter your patient's insuranceCheck specific coverage details for your patient.
Most Common Insurance
Anthem BCBS
Actemra
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (10/12) · Step Therapy (10/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
Rayos
- Covered on 5 commercial plans
- PA (6/12) · Step Therapy (1/12) · Qty limit (0/12)
UnitedHealthcare
Actemra
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (4/8) · Step Therapy (4/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Rayos
- Covered on 4 commercial plans
- PA (0/8) · Step Therapy (0/8) · Qty limit (0/8)
Humana
Actemra
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (0/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
Rayos
- Covered on 0 commercial plans
- PA (1/3) · Step Therapy (0/3) · Qty limit (0/3)
Coverage data sourced from MMIT. Updated monthly.
Savings
No savings programs available for Actemra.
No savings programs available for Rayos.
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Clinical data sourced from FDA-approved labeling. Coverage data via MMIT. Updated monthly.