risankizumab vs ustekinumab
Side-by-side comparison of risankizumab and ustekinumab. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Skyrizi
Stelara
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.
Ustekinumab-aekn (Stelara) is a medicine that helps control inflammation in your body. It works by blocking certain proteins that cause inflammation.
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.
This medicine can treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults and children 6 years and older. It can also treat active psoriatic arthritis in adults and children 6 years and older. In adults, it can treat moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
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.
Ustekinumab-aekn blocks two proteins in your body called interleukin-12 and interleukin-23. These proteins cause inflammation. By blocking them, the medicine helps reduce inflammation and the symptoms of your condition.
- • Upper respiratory infections (like a cold)
- • Headache
- • Fatigue
- • Injection site reactions (redness, pain, or swelling)
- • Tinea infections (like ringworm)
- • Common cold symptoms (nasopharyngitis)
- • Upper respiratory infection
- • Headache
- • Tiredness (fatigue)
- • Vomiting (for Crohn's disease induction)
No adverse event reports.
- Tiredness 6,589
- Psoriasis 6,432
- Pain 6,034
- Joint pain 5,628
- Crohn's disease 5,563
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.
Ustekinumab-aekn can increase your risk of getting serious infections. Tell your doctor if you have any signs of an infection, like fever, cough, or body aches. Before starting this medicine, your doctor should check you for tuberculosis (TB). This medicine may also increase your risk of certain cancers. Contact your doctor right away if you have a severe allergic reaction. This medicine can also cause a rare condition called Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES).
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.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ustekinumab-aekn will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using this medicine during pregnancy. It is also not known if ustekinumab-aekn passes into breast milk.
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How to Read This risankizumab vs ustekinumab Comparison
risankizumab is classified in the Anti-IL-23 Monoclonal Antibody drug class, while ustekinumab sits within the Anti-IL-12/23 Monoclonal Antibody 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, risankizumab has 0 submissions while ustekinumab has 30,246. 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 risankizumab and ustekinumab - 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.