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Orencia® is a medication used to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. It is available as an intravenous infusion or a prefilled syringe. Abatacept is reserved for patients who did not respond to other medications. Abatacept is different than other biologics because it inhibits T-lymphocytes that are found in the synovial fluid. Inhibition of T lymphocytes helps reduce pain and joint inflammation.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
Anakinra (Kineret) is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID), and other autoimmune diseases. It is a “biologic” medicine. This means that it is man-made through genetic-engineering techniques and closely related to a protein that occurs naturally in the body. It helps decrease inflammation in arthritis.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs are a class of drugs that are used worldwide to treat inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis), ankylosing spondylitis and psoriasis. These drugs are able to reduce inflammation and stop disease progression.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
Azathioprine (Imuran) is a drug used to suppress the immune system and help treat symptoms like joint pain and swelling in certain autoimmune conditions. The most common diseases treated with Imuran are dermatomyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), inflammatory bowel disease and vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels). Azathioprine can also be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but it is not used as commonly as other DMARDs like methotrexate.
Azathioprine (Imuran) can be used to treat many other inflammatory conditions like inflammatory muscle diseases (dermatomyositis and polymyositis), multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, autoimmune hepatitis and inflammatory bowel disease. It is also used in combination with other medications to suppress the immune system after organ transplantation to prevent rejection of transplanted organs.
Azathioprine (Imuran) belongs to a class of medications called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or immunosuppressants. This class of medicines can decrease joint damage and disability.
Source: American College of Rheumatology
