The key difference between Tecfidera and Vumerity is that Tecfidera is less tolerated and shows more reported gastrointestinal side effects, whereas Vumerity is better tolerated and has comparatively fewer reported gastrointestinal side effects.
Tecfidera and Vumerity are two important medications that can reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Tecfidera
3. What is Vumerity
4. Tecfidera vs Vumerity in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Tecfidera vs Vumerity
What is Tecfidera?
Tecfidera is dimethyl fumarate that is useful in treating multiple sclerosis. Although it is not a cure for this disease, it can reduce the number of episodes worsening the disease. Tecfidera can be categorized as a disease-modifying drug (DMD). It comes as a pill to be taken twice a day to reduce the number and severity of relapses. This reduction is usually by one-half (50%). However, it may have some common side effects, such as flushing and gastric upset.
Tecfidera is the trade name for dimethyl fumarate. It has the chemical formula C6H8O4. The molar mass is 144.12 g/mol. Synonyms for this drug include methyl fumarate, Tecfidera, dimethyl fumarate, and dimethylfumarate. It is an orally bioavailable methyl ester of fumaric acid and an activator of nuclear factor erythroid. It has the potential for neuroprotective, immunomodulating, and radiosensitizing activities. The hydrogen bond donor count for this compound is zero, but the hydrogen bond acceptor count is 4. It also has 4 rotatable bond counters. The complexity of Tecfidera can be given as 141 degrees. It has one defined bond stereocenter count. This compound occurs in the solid state at room temperature, appearing as a white crystalline powder. The melting point of Tecfidera is 103 – 104 degrees Celsius, and the boiling point is 197.5 degrees Celsius. Moreover, it is highly soluble in water. In addition, it is soluble in acetone and chloroform. The density can be given as 1.37 g/cm3.
What is Vumerity?
Vumerity or diroximel fumarate is a drug useful in treating multiple sclerosis. It is not considered the cure for this disease but can decrease the number of episodes of worsening it. It can also treat the clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease. This drug is developed by Alkermes plc and Biogen. When considering its action, it is considered to modulate the immune system by reducing the amount of inflammation it can cause.
The chemical formula for diroximel fumarate is C11H13NO6. The molar mass of this compound is 255.22 g/mol. The hydrogen bond donor count for this compound is zero, but it has 6 hydrogen bond acceptor count. The rotatable bond count is 7. Moreover, its formal charge is zero, and the complexity can be described as 384 degrees. The melting point of diroximel fumarate is 102 – 106 degrees Celsius, and the boiling point ranges from 192 – 193 degrees Celsius.
What is the Difference Between Tecfidera and Vumerity?
Tecfidera and Vumerity are important drugs that can be used to treat multiple sclerosis. Tecfidera is the trade name of dimethyl fumarate, while Vumerity is the trade name of diroximel fumarate. The key difference between Tecfidera and Vumerity is that Tecfidera is less tolerated and shows more reported gastrointestinal side effects, whereas Vumerity is better tolerated and has fewer reported gastrointestinal side effects.
The below infographic presents the differences between Tecfidera and Vumerity in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Tecfidera vs Vumerity
Tecfidera and Vumerity are important drugs that can be used to treat multiple sclerosis. The key difference between Tecfidera and Vumerity is that Tecfidera is less tolerated and shows more reported gastrointestinal side effects, whereas Vumerity is better tolerated and has fewer reported gastrointestinal side effects.
Reference:
1. “Diroximel Fumarate.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Dimethyl fumarate3D” By Claudio Pistilli – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “People’s health and wellness with drugs(medicine)” By SharonDawn – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia