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guselkumab vs risankizumab

Side-by-side comparison of guselkumab and risankizumab Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

Drug Class
guselkumab Anti-IL-23 Monoclonal Antibody
risankizumab Anti-IL-23 Monoclonal Antibody
Type
guselkumab Prescription
risankizumab Prescription
Summary
guselkumab

Tremfya is a medicine that can help treat plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. It works by blocking a protein in your body that causes inflammation.

risankizumab

Skyrizi is a medicine that can help reduce inflammation in your body. It is used to treat conditions like psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.

What It Treats
guselkumab

Tremfya treats moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults and children 6 years and older who weigh at least 88 pounds. It also treats active psoriatic arthritis in adults and children 6 years and older who weigh at least 88 pounds. Tremfya can also treat moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in adults.

risankizumab

Skyrizi is used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults. It can help reduce the red, scaly patches on your skin. Skyrizi also treats active psoriatic arthritis, which causes joint pain and swelling. Skyrizi can also treat moderately to severely active Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which are inflammatory bowel diseases.

How It Works
guselkumab

Tremfya is a type of medicine called an interleukin-23 antagonist. It blocks a protein called IL-23 in your body. IL-23 causes inflammation, so blocking it can help reduce the symptoms of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease.

risankizumab

Skyrizi is a type of antibody that blocks a protein called interleukin-23 (IL-23). IL-23 causes inflammation in the body. By blocking IL-23, Skyrizi helps to reduce inflammation and the symptoms of certain diseases.

Common Side Effects
guselkumab
  • Upper respiratory infections (like a cold)
  • Headache
  • Injection site reactions (redness, pain, or swelling)
  • Joint pain
  • Bronchitis
risankizumab
  • Upper respiratory infections (like a cold)
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Injection site reactions (redness, pain, or swelling)
  • Tinea infections (like ringworm)
FAERS Reports
guselkumab
  • Missed dose 10,011
  • Accidental exposure to the medicine 3,138
  • Medicine not working 2,239
  • Psoriasis 2,066
  • Problem with the needle 2,054
risankizumab

No adverse event reports.

Serious Warnings
guselkumab

Tremfya can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. Tell your doctor right away if you have any signs of an allergic reaction, like hives, trouble breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Tremfya may also increase your risk of getting infections, including tuberculosis (TB). Your doctor should check you for TB before you start taking Tremfya and monitor you for signs of TB during and after treatment. Tremfya can also cause liver problems. Your doctor should check your liver enzyme and bilirubin levels before you start taking Tremfya and periodically during treatment.

risankizumab

Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can happen. If you have an infection, tell your doctor. Skyrizi may increase your risk of getting an infection or make an existing infection worse. Your doctor will check you for tuberculosis (TB) before you start Skyrizi. For inflammatory bowel disease, Skyrizi can cause liver problems. Your doctor will check your liver before and during treatment.

Pregnancy
guselkumab

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Tremfya will harm your unborn baby. There is a pregnancy registry to monitor outcomes in women exposed to Tremfya during pregnancy. You can enroll by visiting www.mothertobaby.org/ongoing-study/tremfya-guselkumab, calling 1-877-311-8972, or emailing MotherToBaby@health.ucsd.edu.

risankizumab

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Skyrizi will harm your unborn baby. There is a pregnancy registry to track outcomes in women who use Skyrizi during pregnancy. Call 1-877-302-2161 to enroll.

How to Read This guselkumab vs risankizumab Comparison

guselkumab is classified in the Anti-IL-23 Monoclonal Antibody drug class, while risankizumab sits within the Anti-IL-23 Monoclonal Antibody class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, guselkumab has 19,508 submissions while risankizumab has 0. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between guselkumab and risankizumab — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.