Last reviewed 2026-05-14 · How we verify

Drug: "Abatacept"

Abatacept, developed by Shinshu University, is a marketed drug primarily indicated for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Its key strength lies in its unique mechanism of action, which differentiates it from other treatments in the market. The primary risk is the key composition patent expiry in 2028, which could lead to increased competition from generics.

At a glance

Approved indications

• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
• Psoriatic Arthritis
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Crohn’s Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Plaque Psoriasis
• Hidradenitis Suppurativa
• Uveitis

Boxed warnings

• WARNING: SERIOUS INFECTIONS and MALIGNANCY SERIOUS INFECTIONS Patients treated with adalimumab products including Adalimumab-fkjp are at increased risk for developing serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Most patients who developed these infections were taking concomitant immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids. Discontinue Adalimumab-fkjp if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis. Reported infections include: Active tuberculosis (TB), including reactivation of latent TB. Patients with TB have frequently presented with disseminated or extrapulmonary disease. Test patients for latent TB before Adalimumab-fkjp use and during therapy. Initiate treatment for latent TB prior to Adalimumab-fkjp use. Invasive fungal infections, including histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, blastomycosis, and pneumocystosis. Patients with histoplasmosis or other invasive fungal infections may present with disseminated, rather than localized, disease. Antigen and antibody testing for histoplasmosis may be negative in some patients with active infection. Consider empiric anti-fungal therapy in patients at risk for invasive fungal infections who develop severe systemic illness. Bacterial, viral and other infections due to opportunistic pathogens, including Legionella and Listeria. Carefully consider the risks and benefits of treatment with Adalimumab-fkjp prior to initiating therapy in patients with chronic or recurrent infection. Monitor patients closely for the development of signs and symptoms of infection during and after treatment with Adalimumab-fkjp, including the possible development of TB in patients who tested negative for latent TB infection prior to initiating therapy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Adverse Reactions (6.1) ] . MALIGNANCY Lymphoma and other malignancies, some fatal, have been reported in children and adolescent patients treated with TNF blockers including adalimumab products [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] . Post-marketing cases of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), a rare type of T-cell lymphoma, have been reported in patients treated with TNF blockers including adalimumab products. These cases have had a very aggressive disease course and have been fatal. The majority of reported TNF blocker cases have occurred in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis and the majority were in adolescent and young adult males. Almost all these patients had received treatment with azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine (6–MP) concomitantly with a TNF blocker at or prior to diagnosis. It is uncertain whether the occurrence of HSTCL is related to use of a TNF blocker or a TNF blocker in combination with these other immunosuppressants [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] . WARNING: SERIOUS INFECTIONS and MALIGNANCY See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. SERIOUS INFECTIONS ( 5.1 , 6.1 ): Increased risk of serious infections leading to hospitalization or death, including tuberculosis (TB), bacterial sepsis, invasive fungal infections (such as histoplasmosis), and infections due to other opportunistic pathogens. Discontinue Adalimumab-fkjp if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis during treatment. Perform test for latent TB; if positive, start treatment for TB prior to starting Adalimumab-fkjp. Monitor all patients for active TB during treatment, even if initial latent TB test is negative. MALIGNANCY ( 5.2 ): Lymphoma and other malignancies, some fatal, have been reported in children and adolescent patients treated with TNF blockers including adalimumab products. Post-marketing cases of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma (HSTCL), a rare type of T-cell lymphoma, have occurred in adolescent and young adults with inflammatory bowel disease treated with TNF blockers including adalimumab products.

Common side effects

No common side effects on file.

Drug interactions

• Abatacept
• Anakinra
• Live vaccines
• Methotrexate
• Rituximab
• Other biologic products (e.g., other TNF blockers, biologic DMARDs)
• Cytochrome P450 substrates

Key clinical trials

• Azacitidine and Abatacept in Relapsed or Refractory T-Cell Lymphoma (PHASE1)
• Campath/Fludarabine/Melphalan Transplant Conditioning for Non-Malignant Diseases (PHASE1, PHASE2)
• Trial of Sequential Medications AfteR TNFi Failure in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (PHASE3)
• Treatment Tapering in JIA With Inactive Disease (PHASE3)
• Study of COYA 302 for the Treatment of ALS (PHASE2)
• A Platform Protocol to Investigate Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide-Based Graft-Versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies Undergoing Mismatched Unrelated Donor Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (PHASE2)
• Advancing Transplantation Outcomes in Children (PHASE2)
• Acute GVHD Suppression Using Costimulation Blockade to Expand Non-malignant Transplant (PHASE2)

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• Drug: "Abatacept" CI brief — competitive landscape report
• Drug: "Abatacept" updates RSS · CI watch RSS
• Shinshu University portfolio CI