Skip to main content

How does Taltz compare to Cosentyx for psoriatic arthritis?

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Nov 9, 2023.

Official Answer by Drugs.com

Taltz and Cosentyx are similar in the way they work, their side effects, and their potential for interactions, but Taltz does appear to provide patients with psoriatic arthritis (PA) with more quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) compared with Cosentyx at a marginally lower cost. Cosentyx may have a quicker onset of effect.

Both Taltz and Cosentyx may be used to treat adults with psoriatic arthritis but Cosentyx is also approved for children with psoriatic arthritis over the age of 2 years. They both belong to the same class of medicines called interleukin inhibitors and work in the same way, that is to selectively bind to interleukin 17A (IL-17A) to reduce inflammation. Interleukin inhibitors are considered a breakthrough in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treatment because research has discovered that immune cell TH17 was a major cause of psoriasis and that interleukin-17A was the most abundant cytokine produced by TH17 cells.

Differences in effectiveness

Very few studies have directly compared Cosentyx with Taltz with regards to psoriatic arthritis. Taltz provided more quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) compared with Cosentyx to patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and concomitant moderate to severe plaque psoriasis at a marginally lower cost in one study published in PharmacoEconomics.

Another study that investigated patients with psoriasis reported that Cosentyx and Taltz were both highly effective in the short- and long-term treatment of psoriasis but that Cosentyx had a more rapid onset and Taltz longer effectiveness.

Other differences

Other differences between Cosentyx and Taltz include:

.

Related questions

References
  • Interleukin inhibitors Cosentyx, Taltz target psoriasis market. Updated 26/03/2019. Korea Biomedical Review https://www.koreabiomed.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=5432
  • Ixekizumab Superior to Secukinumab in Providing More Quality-Adjusted Life-Years in Psoriatic Arthritis. May 1 2020. Rheumatology Advisor. https://www.rheumatologyadvisor.com/home/topics/spondyloarthritis/ixekizumab-superior-to-secukinumab-in-providing-more-qalys-in-psa/
  • Schweikert B, Malmberg C, Äkerborg Ö, et al. Cost-effectiveness analysis of sequential biologic therapy with ixekizumab versus secukinumab in the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis with concomitant moderate to severe psoriasis in the UK. Pharmacoecon Open. 4(4), 635–648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41669-020-00202-1
  • Giacomo Caldarola, Marco Mariani, Federico Pirro, Nicola Nicolotti, Martina Burlando, Laura Calabrese, Aurora Parodi, Ketty Peris & Clara De Simone (2021) Comparison of short- and long-term effectiveness of ixekizumab and secukinumab in real-world practice, Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy, 21:2, 279-286, DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2021.1849133
  • Cosentyx (secukinumab) [Package insert]. Updated 11/2023. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation https://www.drugs.com/pro/cosentyx.html
  • Taltz (ixekizumab). Updated 11/2022. Eli Lilly and Company. https://www.drugs.com/pro/taltz.html

Read next

How does Ilumya work to treat psoriasis?

Ilumya works by binding selectively to interleukin-23 (IL-23) which is a naturally occurring cytokine. IL-23 plays a key role in promoting inflammation and regulating other cytokines (such as IL-17) and inflammatory substances, such as TNF-α3-7. By blocking the effects of IL-23, Ilumya helps control the release of IL-17 and TNF-α, which reduces inflammation associated with psoriasis. It also decreases how many inflammatory cells are present within psoriatic lesions, helps prevent plaque formation, and resolves tissue damage. Continue reading

Prednisone: What are 12 Things You Should Know?

Prednisone first came onto the market over sixty years ago and is still going strong. But did you know that this common drug used for a variety of different conditions also has some pretty serious side effects as well? Continue reading

Where should you not use triamcinolone acetonide cream?

You should not use topical corticosteroids like triamcinolone acetonide cream on your face, groin, or axillae (underarm, armpit) unless directed by your doctor. Using triamcinolone in these areas may lead to unwanted side effects like acne, prominent blood vessels, skin thinning (atrophy), changes in skin color or unwanted hair growth. Continue reading

See also:

Related medical questions

Drug information

Related support groups