Anakinra

Anakinra (Kineret) is a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Anakinra is an interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist. Anakinra blocks the biologic activity of naturally occurring IL-1, including inflammation and cartilage degradation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, by competitively inhibiting the binding of IL-1 to the Interleukin-1 type receptor, which is expressed in many tissues and organs. IL-1 is produced in response to inflammator... more

Anakinra (Kineret) is a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Anakinra is an interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist. Anakinra blocks the biologic activity of naturally occurring IL-1, including inflammation and cartilage degradation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, by competitively inhibiting the binding of IL-1 to the Interleukin-1 type receptor, which is expressed in many tissues and organs. IL-1 is produced in response to inflammatory stimuli and mediates various physiologic responses, including inflammatory and immunologic reactions. IL-1 additionally stimulates bone resorption and induces tissue damage like cartilage degradation as a result of loss of proteoglycans. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis the natural IL-1 receptor antagonist is not found in effective concentrations in synovium and synovial fluid to counteract the elevated IL-1 concentrations in these patients. Anakinra is not considered a 'Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug' (DMARD) but rather a ... less