Orencia (Abatacept) for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Overview
Orencia is a prescription drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. Orencia is also referred to by its drug name, abatacept.

Orencia is considered a biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD). Orencia is believed to work by inhibiting the activation of T-lymphocyte immune cells, preventing them from attacking the body’s connective tissues.

How do I take it?
Orencia is administered as a subcutaneous injection or an intravenous infusion. As an injection, Orencia is administered once a week. As an intravenous infusion, Orencia is administered during the first, second, and fourth weeks, then every four weeks going forward. Infusion takes about 30 minutes.

Always follow your doctor’s instructions exactly when taking Orencia.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for Arava lists common side effects including headache, respiratory tract infection, the common cold, and nausea.

Rare but serious side effects listed for Arava include severe infections and severe allergic reactions. Contact your doctor if you develop signs of infection such as fever, cough, flu-like symptoms, or red, painful skin. Orencia may slightly increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer.

For more details about this treatment, visit:

Orencia — Bristol-Myers Squibb
https://www.orencia.com

Abatacept (Orencia) — American College of Rheumatology
https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Car...