methotrexate vs pegloticase
Side-by-side comparison of methotrexate and pegloticase. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 7.1 Methotrexate KRYSTEXXA 8 mg every 2 weeks has been studied in patients with chronic gout refractory to conventional therapy taking concomitant oral methotrexate 15 mg weekly [see Clinical Studies (14) ] . Co-administration of methotrexate with KRYSTEXXA may increase pegloticase concentration compared to KRYSTEXXA alone [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .
Recommendation: Your healthcare provider will monitor your treatment to ensure the combination is working safely.
Trexall, Otrexup
Krystexxa
Methotrexate is a drug that can treat certain cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other conditions. It works by slowing the growth of cells in the body.
Krystexxa is a medicine used to treat chronic gout in adults when other treatments don't work well enough. It helps lower uric acid levels in your blood.
Methotrexate can treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of cancer, in adults and children. It also treats mycosis fungoides, a skin lymphoma, in adults. Additionally, it treats relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults. For non-cancer conditions, it treats rheumatoid arthritis in adults, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) in children, and severe psoriasis in adults.
Krystexxa is used to treat chronic gout in adults. This is for people whose gout is not well controlled with other medicines. It helps lower uric acid levels in your blood to reduce gout symptoms.
Methotrexate blocks an enzyme called dihydrofolate reductase. This enzyme is needed for cells to grow and multiply. By blocking this enzyme, methotrexate slows down the growth of cells, especially cancer cells and cells that cause inflammation in arthritis and psoriasis.
Krystexxa contains an enzyme that breaks down uric acid in your body. This helps to lower the amount of uric acid in your blood. Lowering uric acid can reduce gout symptoms.
- • Mouth sores
- • Nausea
- • Abdominal pain
- • Changes in liver tests
- • Gout flares
- • Nausea
- • Infusion reactions
- • Joint pain
- • COVID-19
- Rheumatoid arthritis 38,053
- Joint pain 36,283
- Pain 35,412
- Tiredness 29,061
- Feeling sick to your stomach 24,011
- Gout flare 539
- Increased uric acid in blood 378
- Reaction to the infusion 358
- Treatment not working as well 240
- Difficulty breathing 166
Methotrexate can cause serious harm to an unborn baby, including death. If you are pregnant, you should not take this medicine for non-cancer conditions. If you are taking it for cancer, talk to your doctor about the risks. This medicine can also cause severe allergic reactions and other serious side effects that can be life-threatening. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any signs of infection, lung problems, or kidney problems.
Krystexxa can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, during or after the infusion. You should receive Krystexxa in a healthcare setting where anaphylaxis can be treated. If you have G6PD deficiency, you should not take Krystexxa, as it can cause red blood cell problems.
Methotrexate can cause birth defects or fetal death if taken during pregnancy for non-cancer conditions. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. Do not breastfeed while taking methotrexate, as it can pass into breast milk and harm your baby.
It is not known if Krystexxa can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Krystexxa passes into breast milk, so it should not be used when breastfeeding unless the benefit outweighs the risk.
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How to Read This methotrexate vs pegloticase Comparison
methotrexate is classified in the Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) drug class, while pegloticase sits within the Recombinant Uricase class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. 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, methotrexate has 162,820 submissions while pegloticase has 1,681. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to taking methotrexate along with pegloticase can cause the levels of pegloticase to stay higher in your blood than usual.. 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 methotrexate and pegloticase - 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.