Two medicines, side by side
Abatacept vs benralizumab
Abatacept is labeled for rheumatoid arthritis; benralizumab for asthma. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of abatacept since 2005 and of benralizumab since 2017. In FDA's classes, abatacept is a selective t cell costimulation modulator and benralizumab an interleukin-5 receptor alpha-directed cytolytic antibody.
Check it at the source: the abatacept FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 13, 2025); the benralizumab FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 13, 2026).
Highlights of the abatacept record
Abatacept (Orencia) · label of November 13, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsORENCIA is a selective T cell costimulation modulator indicated for: • the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). (1.1) • the treatment of patients 2 years of age and older with moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA). (1.2) • the treatment of patients 2 years of age and older with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 23, 2005
- Generic labelers
- none listed
- Pharmacy cost
- $1,469.23 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the benralizumab record
Benralizumab (Fasenra) · label of May 13, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsFASENRA is an interleukin-5 receptor alpha-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody (IgG1, kappa) indicated for: • add-on maintenance treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 6 years and older with severe asthma, and with an eosinophilic phenotype. ( 1.1 ) • treatment of adult patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 14, 2017
- Generic labelers
- none listed
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Abatacept label of November 13, 2025, Benralizumab label of May 13, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do abatacept and benralizumab differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, abatacept is a selective t cell costimulation modulator and benralizumab an interleukin-5 receptor alpha-directed cytolytic antibody.
How each works, in its label's words: Abatacept, “Abatacept, a selective costimulation modulator, inhibits T-cell (T lymphocyte) activation by binding to CD80 and CD86, thereby blocking interaction with CD28.”; Benralizumab, “Benralizumab is a humanized afucosylated, monoclonal antibody (IgG1, kappa) that directly binds to the alpha subunit of the human interleukin-5 receptor (IL-5Rα) with a dissociation constant of 11 pM.”
Half-life, in each label's words: Abatacept, “Mean estimates for systemic clearance (0.28 mL/h/kg), volume of distribution (0.11 L/kg), and terminal half-life (14.3 …”; Benralizumab, “Absorption Following subcutaneous administration to patients with asthma, the absorption half-life was approximately …”
| Abatacept | Benralizumab | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Rheumatoid arthritis | Asthma |
| Pharmacologic class | Selective T Cell Costimulation Modulator | Interleukin-5 Receptor alpha-directed Cytolytic Antibody |
| How it works (label) | Abatacept, a selective costimulation modulator, inhibits T-cell (T lymphocyte) activation by binding to CD80 and CD86, thereby blocking interaction with CD28. | Benralizumab is a humanized afucosylated, monoclonal antibody (IgG1, kappa) that directly binds to the alpha subunit of the human interleukin-5 receptor (IL-5Rα) with a dissociation constant of 11 pM. |
| Half-life (label) | Mean estimates for systemic clearance (0.28 mL/h/kg), volume of distribution (0.11 L/kg), and terminal half-life (14.3 days) were comparable between subcutaneous and intravenous administration. | Absorption Following subcutaneous administration to patients with asthma, the absorption half-life was approximately 3.5 days. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 23, 2005 | November 14, 2017 |
| First generic approved | none | none |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | none listed | none listed |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $1,469.23 per mL (Orencia 125 mg/mL syringe) | n/a |
| 12-month price change | +2% | n/a |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 1 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 137,678 | 19,893 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to abatacept
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions