Two medicines, side by side
Abatacept vs pegloticase
Abatacept is labeled for rheumatoid arthritis; pegloticase for gout. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of abatacept since 2005 and of pegloticase since 2010. In FDA's classes, abatacept is a selective t cell costimulation modulator and pegloticase an uric acid-specific enzyme.
Check it at the source: the abatacept FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 13, 2025); the pegloticase FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 9, 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 pegloticase record
Pegloticase (Krystexxa) · label of July 9, 2026
ANAPHYLAXIS and INFUSION REACTIONS, G6PD DEFICIENCY ASSOCIATED HEMOLYSIS and METHEMOGLOBINEMIA Anaphylaxis and infusion reactions have been reported to occur during and after administration of KRYSTEXXA. ( 5.1 , 5.2 ) Anaphylaxis may occur with any infusion, and generally manifests within 2 hours of the infusion. However, delayed hypersensitivity reactions have also been reported.
Used for
From the label: indicationsKRYSTEXXA ® (pegloticase) is indicated, for the treatment of chronic gout in adult patients refractory to conventional therapy. Gout refractory to conventional therapy occurs in patients who have failed to normalize serum uric acid and whose signs and symptoms are inadequately controlled with xanthine oxidase inhibitors at the maximum medically appropriate dose or for whom these drugs are contraindicated. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 14, 2010
- Generic labelers
- none listed
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Abatacept label of November 13, 2025, Pegloticase label of July 9, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do abatacept and pegloticase differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, abatacept is a selective t cell costimulation modulator and pegloticase an uric acid-specific enzyme.
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.”; Pegloticase, “KRYSTEXXA is a uric acid specific enzyme which is a recombinant uricase and achieves its therapeutic effect by catalyzing the oxidation of uric acid to allantoin, thereby lowering serum uric acid.”
Only the pegloticase label carries a boxed warning.
| Abatacept | Pegloticase | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Rheumatoid arthritis | Gout |
| Pharmacologic class | Selective T Cell Costimulation Modulator | Uric Acid-specific Enzyme |
| 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. | KRYSTEXXA is a uric acid specific enzyme which is a recombinant uricase and achieves its therapeutic effect by catalyzing the oxidation of uric acid to allantoin, thereby lowering serum uric acid. |
| 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. | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 23, 2005 | September 14, 2010 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 137,678 | 3,686 |
| 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