What Is Anakinra Used For?

Anakinra is used for treating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in people who have not responded to other medications. By inhibiting the effects of a certain protein in the joints, the medicine can help reduce physical damage to the joints. Occasionally, anakinra can be used "off-label" for the treatment of uveitis and neonatal onset multisystem inflammatory disease. There are currently no approved anakinra uses in children.

 

Anakinra Uses: An Overview

Anakinra (Kineret®) is a prescription medication that is approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis. It is part of a group of medications known as biological response modifiers.
 
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. This means that, for some reason, the immune system mistakes a person's own cells as invaders and attacks them, causing damage. Similar to other autoimmune diseases, scientists still do not know the causes of rheumatoid arthritis.
 
There are many rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, including chronic pain along with tender, warm, and swollen joints. Rheumatoid arthritis treatment usually includes medications. There are four different types of rheumatoid arthritis medication, including:
 
  • Analgesics (pain relievers), including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Corticosteroids
  • Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
  • Biological response modifiers.
     
Anakinra is a biological response modifier, which means it targets (and "modifies") specific parts of the immune system. Biological response modifiers are commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, and some types of cancer. Anakinra is approved for use in people who have unsuccessfully tried one or more DMARD or biological response modifier.
 
Anakinra can be used in combination with other rheumatoid medications, except adalimumab (Humira®), etanercept (Enbrel®), or infliximab (Remicade®). Taking anakinra with those medications increases the risk of infection and does not seem to provide any additional benefit.
 
(What Is Anakinra Used For? Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;