Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you or your child this medicine. This medicine is given as a shot under your skin or into a vein.

For the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis: If this medicine is given through a vein in your arm, it must be injected by your doctor slowly and your IV tube will need to stay in place for 30 minutes. You will receive this medicine again at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after your first dose and then every 4 weeks after.

For the prevention of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD): This medicine is given through a vein in your arm. It must be injected by your doctor slowly and your IV tube will need to stay in place for 60 minutes on the day before you receive transplant (Day -1). You will receive this medicine again at Days 5, 14, and 28 after the transplant.

Abatacept may be also given as a shot under your skin. It may sometimes be given at home to patients who do not need to be in the hospital. If you or your child are using this medicine at home, your doctor or nurse will teach you how to prepare and inject the medicine. Be sure that you understand exactly how to use the medicine.

This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

If you use this medicine at home, you will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself or your child a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas. This will help prevent skin problems.

This medicine is available in 3 forms: a vial (glass container), a prefilled syringe, or a ClickJect™ autoinjector. The prefilled syringe and ClickJect™ autoinjector are the dosage forms you can use at home.

Check the liquid in the prefilled syringe or ClickJect™ autoinjector. It should be clear and colorless or slightly yellow. Do not use it if it is cloudy, discolored, or if you see particles in it. Do not use the prefilled syringe or ClickJect™ autoinjector if it looks cracked or broken.

Allow 30 minutes for the syringe to warm up to room temperature. Do not warm this medicine in any other way.

Do not remove the needle cover on the prefilled syringe or the autoinjector cap while allowing the medicine to reach room temperature. Remove only if ready to use.

Check that the amount of liquid in the prefilled syringe falls at or just above the fill line. If the syringe does not have the right amount of liquid, do not use it.

Do not inject into skin areas that are red, bruised, tender, scaly, or hard, or have scars or stretch marks.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For injection dosage form (prefilled syringe or autoinjector):
    • For polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis:
      • Children 2 years of age and older—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.
        • Weighing 50 kilograms (kg) or more—125 milligrams (mg) injected under your skin once a week.
        • Weighing 25 kg to less than 50 kg—87.5 mg injected under your skin once a week.
        • Weighing 10 kg to less than 25 kg—50 mg injected under your skin once a week.
      • Children younger than 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For psoriatic arthritis:
      • Adults—125 milligrams (mg) injected under your skin once a week.
      • Children 2 years of age and older—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.
        • Weighing 50 kilograms (kg) or more—125 milligrams (mg) injected under your skin once a week.
        • Weighing 25 kg to less than 50 kg—87.5 mg injected under your skin once a week.
        • Weighing 10 kg to less than 25 kg—50 mg injected under your skin once a week.
      • Children younger than 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For rheumatoid arthritis:
      • Adults—125 milligrams (mg) injected under your skin once a week. Some patients may need to have an intravenous loading dose, followed by the first 125 mg injected under your skin within a day of the intravenous injection.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

This medicine needs to be given on a fixed schedule. If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

Storage

Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container where the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.