Abatacept: Prescribing and Administering
Abatacept is a fusion protein that consists of the extracellular domain of human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTL1-4) linked to a modified Fc portion of human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1).
It is from a group of drugs called cytokine inhibitors. Cytokines are small protein molecules, which occur in the body and are involved in inflammatory conditions. Abatacept modulates the T lymphocyte response, reducing inflammation through effects on cytokines such as TNF alpha, interferon and interleukin-2.