Interactions between abatacept and Enbrel (etanercept)
etanercept and abatacept (Major Drug-Drug)
GENERALLY AVOID: The use of abatacept in combination with a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker may increase the risk of infections, possibly due to additive immunosuppressive effects. In controlled clinical trials, patients receiving concomitant abatacept and TNF antagonist therapy experienced more infections (63%) and serious infections (4.4%) than patients treated with TNF antagonists alone (43% and 0.8%, respectively). No significant enhancement of efficacy was observed with the combination relative to either agent alone.
MANAGEMENT: Concomitant use of abatacept and TNF blockers is not recommended. When transitioning from TNF antagonist therapy to abatacept therapy, patients should be monitored closely for signs of infection such as fever, chills, or sore throat.
