Treatment options

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment options

RA is unpredictable, and your response to treatments may change over time

No matter where you are in your fight against RA, undertreating your symptoms can lead to worsening joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and fatigue, as well as further irreversible joint damage.

So if you’re still experiencing RA symptoms, it’s important to work together with your rheumatologist to adjust your treatment plan.

Not all RA treatments work the same for everyone

There’s no “one size fits all” solution to treating RA. There are many medications currently available to help reduce symptoms, so be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of any treatment with your rheumatologist. Some RA treatment options include:

Conventional  Therapies

  • Analgesics?
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)?

Pain relief medications like acetaminophen

Medications, like aspirin and ibuprofen, that help reduce pain and inflammation

  • Corticosteroids?
  • Conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs)?

Used broadly to help reduce pain and inflammation for a short term

Conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) is a general name for the large number of medicines, like methotrexate, that modify the course of RA itself

Advanced Therapies

Biologics are pharmaceutical products manufactured in a living system such as a microorganism or plant or animal cell

Block parts of the body’s immune response in order to reduce inflammation—one example of an oral small molecule is a JAK-inhibitor

Understanding advanced therapies

Advanced therapies are used after conventional therapies. One type of advanced therapy, JAK inhibitors, is prescribed after TNF blockers.

There have been many advances in RA treatment in recent years, with treatment options that work in different ways. Here are some RA treatment options to consider when preparing to speak to your rheumatologist.

This is a non-exhaustive list of prescription medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. This information is accurate as of July 2023.

Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors

How they work: Block parts of the body’s immune response in order to reduce inflammation.

RINVOQ® (upadacitinib)

1 pill every day

365 pills per year

APPROVED USE

RINVOQ is used to treat adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis when 1 or more medicines called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated. It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OLUMIANT® (baricitinib)

1 pill every day

365 pills per year

XELJANZ® (tofacitinib)

1 or 2 pills every day

365-730 pills per year


Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers

How they work: Block an inflammatory protein called TNF.

CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol)

1 injection every other week,* after starting dose of 2 injections at weeks 0, 2, and 4

26 injections per year (after starter doses)

ENBREL® (etanercept)

1 injection every week

52 injections per year

HUMIRA® (adalimumab)

1 injection every other week

26 injections per year

REMICADE® (infliximab)

1 infusion every 8 weeks* (infusions every 4 weeks could be considered for some), after starting 1 infusion at weeks 0, 2, and 6

6-12 infusions per year (after starter doses)


Interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor blockers

How they work: Block an inflammatory protein called IL-6.

ACTEMRA® (tocilizumab)

1 infusion every 4 weeks
or

1 injection every week*

13 infusions per year

or

52 injections per year

KEVZARA® (sarilumab)

1 injection every other week

26 injections per year


T-Cell blockers

How they work: Block the activation of T-Cells.

ORENCIA® (abatacept)

1 infusion every 4 weeks, after initial infusions at weeks 0, 2, and 4
or

1 injection every week

12 infusions per year (after starter doses)
or

52 injections per year

*Dosing may vary at your prescriber’s discretion based on your needs and reactions.

This presentation is not intended to compare the safety, efficacy, or uses of these treatments. Please refer to each product’s full Prescribing Information for additional information.

Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of your treatment options. These medications should be used under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Always tell your doctor about any side effects you may be experiencing.

Time for a change in your treatment plan?

Deciding to change your treatment plan is never easy, but neither is living with RA symptoms.