An autoinjector for subcutaneously administering abatacept (Orencia) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, making it the third delivery method available for patients to use the biologic.
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Abatacept is also available for intravenous infusion and subcutaneous administration with a prefilled syringe. With a single button push, the new Orencia ClickJect autoinjector delivers 125 mg of the drug over the course of 15 seconds and also confirms the injection. The autoinjector’s design is meant to allow patients with rheumatoid arthritis to firmly hold, operate, and control the device, according to an announcement from the manufacturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Although abatacept is approved to treat polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients aged 6 years and older, subcutaneous formulations of the drug have not been studied in patients younger than 18 years.