Abatacept
/api/v1/drug/abataceptMechanism of action
Sourced from openFDAAbatacept, a selective costimulation modulator, inhibits T-cell (T lymphocyte) activation by binding to CD80 and CD86, thereby blocking interaction with CD28. This interaction provides a costimulatory signal necessary for full activation of T lymphocytes.
Indications
Sourced from openFDA- ORENCIA is a selective T cell costimulation modulator indicated for: • the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). (1.1) • the treatment of patients 2 years of age and older with moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA).ICD-10: M06.9
Contraindications
Sourced from openFDA- None. None.contraindicated
Dosage & administration
Sourced from openFDAIntravenous Use for Adult RA (2.1) and Adult PsA (2.3) • Administer at 0, 2, and 4 weeks, and every 4 weeks thereafter, as a 30-minute infusion Body Weight of Patient Dose Number of Vials Less than 60 kg 500 mg 2 60 to 100 kg 750 mg 3 More than 100 kg 1,000 mg 4 Subcutaneous Use for Adult RA (2.1) • Prior to the first subcutaneous dose, may administer an optional loading dose as a single intravenous infusion as per body weight categories above. • Administer 125 mg by subcutaneous injection once weekly (within a day of the intravenous infusion if infusion given). • Patients switching from intravenous use to subcutaneous use, administer first subcutaneous dose instead of next scheduled intravenous dose. Intravenous Use for pJIA in Pediatric Patients ≥6 Years Old (2.2) • Pediatric patients weighing <75 kg administer 10 mg/kg intravenously and those weighing ≥75 kg administer the adult intravenous dosing regimen (not to exceed a maximum dose of 1,000 mg), as a 30-minute infusion. • Subsequently administer infusions at 2 and 4 weeks and every 4 weeks thereafter. Subcutaneous Use for pJIA and PsA in Pediatric Patients ≥2 Years Old (2.2) • Administer subcutaneously without an intravenous loading dose Body Weight of Pediatric Patient Dose (once weekly) 10 kg to less than 25 kg 50 mg 25 kg to less than 50 kg 87.5 mg 50 kg or more 125 mg Subcutaneous Use for Adult PsA ( 2.3 ) • Administer 125 mg by subcutaneous injection once weekly without an intravenous loading dose.
Warnings & precautions
Sourced from openFDA• Concomitant use with a TNF antagonist can increase the risk of infections and serious infections. (5.1) • Hypersensitivity and anaphylaxis have occurred. (5.2) • Serious infections reported. Patients with a history of recurrent infections or underlying conditions predisposing to infections may experience more infections. Discontinue if a serious infection develops. (5.3) • Screen for latent TB infection prior to initiating therapy. Patients testing positive should be treated prior to initiating ORENCIA. (5.3) • Screen for viral hepatitis prior to initiating ORENCIA. (5.3) • Update vaccinations prior to initiating ORENCIA. Live vaccines should not be given concurrently or within 3 months of discontinuation. ORENCIA may blunt the effectiveness of some immunizations. (5.4) • COPD patients may develop more frequent respiratory adverse reactions. (5.5) • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) reactivation in patients treated for aGVHD prophylaxis. (5.7) 5.1 Increased Risk of Infection with Concomitant Use of TNF Antagonists, Other Biologic RA/PsA Therapy, or JAK Inhibitors In controlled clinical trials in patients with adult RA, patients receiving concomitant intravenous ORENCIA and TNF antagonist therapy experienced more infections (63% vs. 43%) and serious infections (4.4% vs. 0.8%) compared to patients treated with only TNF antagonists [see Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] .
Adverse reactions
Sourced from openFDAThe following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: • Increased Risk of Infection with Concomitant Use with TNF Antagonists, Other Biologic RA/PsA Therapy, or JAK Inhibitors [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Infections [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] • Increased Risk of Adverse Reactions When Used in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] • Immunosuppression [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Reactivation in aGVHD Prophylaxis after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] • Most common adverse events (≥10%) in RA are headache, upper respiratory tract infection, nasopharyngitis, and nausea. (6.1) • Most common adverse reactions (≥10%) in prophylaxis of aGVHD are anemia, hypertension, CMV reactivation/CMV infection, pyrexia, pneumonia, epistaxis, CD4 lymphocytes decreased, hypermagnesemia, and acute kidney injury. (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Bristol-Myers Squibb at 1-800-721-5072 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying and controlled conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not predict the rates observed in a broader patient population in clinical practice.
Use in specific populations
Sourced from openFDA8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary The data with ORENCIA use in pregnant women are insufficient to inform on drug-associated risk. However, there are clinical considerations for administering live vaccines to infants who were exposed to ORENCIA while in utero (see Clinical Considerations) . In reproductive toxicology studies in rats and rabbits, no fetal malformations were observed with intravenous administration of ORENCIA during organogenesis at doses that produced exposures approximately 29 times the exposure at the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 10 mg/kg/month on an AUC basis. However, in a pre- and postnatal development study in rats, ORENCIA altered immune function in female rats at 11 times the MRHD on an AUC basis. Clinical Considerations Infants and Administration of Live Vaccines It is unknown if abatacept can cross the placenta into the fetus when a woman is treated with ORENCIA during pregnancy. Abatacept is an immunomodulatory agent. It is unknown if the immune response of an infant who was exposed in utero to abatacept and subsequently administered a live vaccine is impacted. Risks and benefits should be considered prior to vaccinating such infants [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] . Data Human Data There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of ORENCIA use in pregnant women.
Pharmacokinetics
Sourced from openFDA- Metabolism
- Healthy Adults and Adult RA - Intravenous Administration The pharmacokinetics of abatacept were studied in healthy adult subjects after a single 10 mg/kg intravenous infusion and in RA patients after multiple 10 mg/kg intravenous infusions of ORENCIA (see Table 7).
Overdosage
Sourced from openFDAORENCIA doses up to 50 mg/kg (5 times the maximum recommended dose in patients aged 6 years and older and 3.3 times the maximum recommended dose in patients aged 2 to less than 6 years) have been administered intravenously without apparent toxic effect. In case of overdosage, it is recommended that the patient be monitored for any signs or symptoms of adverse reactions and appropriate symptomatic treatment instituted.
Approval history
Sourced from openFDA- Dec 23, 2005BLABLA125118Bristol Myers Squibb
FAERS reports
- 1Drug Ineffective38,81029%
- 2Rheumatoid Arthritis23,92418%
- 3Pain21,58016%
- 4Arthralgia20,71715%
- 5Joint Swelling20,10615%
- 6Fatigue14,32611%
- 7Contraindicated Product Administered13,90110%
- 8Rash13,1279.7%
- 9Drug Intolerance13,1099.7%
- 10Off Label Use11,9518.8%
- 11Arthropathy11,6698.6%
- 12Alopecia10,6247.8%
- 13Synovitis10,2357.6%
- 14Abdominal Discomfort10,1037.5%
- 15Treatment Failure9,8097.2%
Literature
Recent PubMed references pinned to Abatacept as a MeSH major topic. Citations link to pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
- Cancer risk associated with abatacept among older individuals with rheumatoid arthritis in the United States.JNCI cancer spectrum · 2026 · Ahmed S, Mariette X, Seror R, et al.PMID 42080708DOI 10.1093/jncics/pkag051
- Belatacept in liver transplantation: Results of a national survey among French specialists.Transplant immunology · 2026 · Dumortier J, Conti F, Francoz C, et al.PMID 42067156DOI 10.1016/j.trim.2026.102392
- Inhibition of the programmed death protein 1 immune checkpoint and the development of heart failure in the presence of prior cardiac ischaemia.Cardiovascular research · 2026 · Gergely TG, Drobni ZD, Kovács T, et al.PMID 42019014DOI 10.1093/cvr/cvag085
- Certolizumab pegol, abatacept, tocilizumab or active conventional therapy in early rheumatoid arthritis: 48-week patient-reported outcomes from the NORD-STAR trial.The Lancet. Rheumatology · 2026 · Lampa J, Nordström D, van Vollenhoven R, et al.PMID 41881637DOI 10.1016/S2665-9913(26)00007-X
- CTLA4-Ig reduces proliferation and inflammatory gene expression in muscle fibroblasts, corresponding to less fibrosis and inflammation in mdx muscular dystrophy.American journal of physiology. Cell physiology · 2026 · Wehling-Henricks M, Kannan P, Thomas C, et al.PMID 41855092DOI 10.1152/ajpcell.00860.2025
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of belatacept versus calcineurin inhibitors on risk of post-transplant diabetes mellitus in kidney transplant recipients.Frontiers in immunology · 2026 · Wang X, Song D, Hou S, et al.PMID 41766891DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1615875
- Abatacept treatment shows a modulating effect on Treg subsets in LRBA-deficient patients.Frontiers in immunology · 2026 · Donhauser S, Salzmann-Manrique E, Lueck LM, et al.PMID 41727438DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1697915
- Model-Informed Abatacept Dose Recommendation in Pediatric Patients With Acute Graft Versus Host Disease.Journal of clinical pharmacology · 2026 · Zhong R, Maxwell K, Passarell J, et al.PMID 41684189DOI 10.1002/jcph.70156
Clinical trials
The 10 most recently updated of 325 ClinicalTrials.gov registrations naming Abatacept as an intervention. Registration is not evidence of efficacy or safety — reference crosswalk only.
- Open Label , Randomized, Three Arm Parallel Group Single Dose Comparative Pharmacokinetic , Safety and Immunogenicity Study in Healthy SubjectsCompleted · Phase 1 · Interventional · 300 enrolled · Kashiv BioSciences, LLCNCT06929039updated 2026-06-12
- Partial Stem Cell Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease From Matched DonorsRecruiting · Phase 1 · Phase 2 · Interventional · 90 enrolled · National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)NCT07599176updated 2026-06-12
- Abatacept s.c. for aGVHD Prevention in Haplo-HCTCompleted · Phase 1 · Phase 2 · Interventional · 29 enrolled · The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow UniversityNCT04686929updated 2026-06-11
- Comparison of the Effects of Belatacept and Anticalcineurins on Endothelial Function in Renal Transplant Patients - <BELAFENDO>Recruiting · Phase 4 · Interventional · 44 enrolled · University Hospital, RouenNCT06291077updated 2026-06-09
- Abatacept in earLy Onset Polymyalgia Rheumatica: Study ALORSCompleted · Phase 3 · Interventional · 34 enrolled · University Hospital, BrestNCT03632187updated 2026-06-08
- Trial of Sequential Medications AfteR TNFi Failure in Juvenile Idiopathic ArthritisRecruiting · Phase 3 · Interventional · 400 enrolled · Duke UniversityNCT06654882updated 2026-06-01
- Haploidentical Donor Hematopoietic Cell Transplant for Sickle Cell DiseaseNot yet recruiting · Phase 2 · Interventional · 45 enrolled · St. Jude Children's Research HospitalNCT07616154updated 2026-06-01
- Reduced Intensity Conditioning and Familial HLA-Mismatched BMT for Non-Malignant DisordersRecruiting · Phase 1 · Phase 2 · Interventional · 29 enrolled · Washington University School of MedicineNCT03128996updated 2026-05-29
- Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide, Bortezomib and Abatacept for the Prevention of Graft-versus-Host-Disease (GvHD)Recruiting · Phase 1 · Phase 2 · Interventional · 74 enrolled · Northwell HealthNCT05289167updated 2026-05-29
- Abatacept to Treat Steroid Refractory Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease (cGVHD)Completed · Phase 1 · Phase 2 · Interventional · 56 enrolled · Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterNCT01954979updated 2026-05-29
Frequently asked questions
- How does Abatacept work?
- Abatacept, a selective costimulation modulator, inhibits T-cell (T lymphocyte) activation by binding to CD80 and CD86, thereby blocking interaction with CD28. This interaction provides a costimulatory signal necessary for full activation of T lymphocytes.
- What is Abatacept used for?
- According to FDA labeling, Abatacept carries indications including: ORENCIA is a selective T cell costimulation modulator indicated for: • the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). (1.1) • the treatment of patients 2 years of age and older with moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA).. This is a reference summary of labeled uses, not medical advice or a treatment recommendation.
- What class of drug is Abatacept?
- Abatacept is classified as Selective immunosuppressants, Selective T Cell Costimulation Modulator, CD80-directed Antibody Interactions, CD86-directed Antibody Interactions, Decreased Cytokine Activity, T Lymphocyte Costimulation Activity Blockade.
- What are the brand names for Abatacept?
- Abatacept is marketed under brand names including Orencia.
- What are the contraindications for Abatacept?
- Abatacept labeling lists contraindications including: None. None.. Always consult the full prescribing information and a clinician.
abatacept is illustrative MVP content compiled from public sources. pharmacopeia is for educational and informational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.