abatacept + prednisone

Abatacept + prednisone is a combination therapy used primarily in the management of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Abatacept is a biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) that acts as a selective co-stimulation modulator by inhibiting T cell activation through binding to CD80/CD86 on antigen-presenting cells, thereby blocking interaction with CD28 on T cells. This mechanism reduces immune-mediated inflammation. Prednisone is a synthetic glucocorticoid corticosteroid that exerts broad anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects by modulating gene expression via the glucocorticoid receptor. The combination has been studied particularly in giant cell arteritis (GCA), where it has shown efficacy in reducing relapse rates compared to prednisone alone. Abatacept is also approved for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and prophylaxis of acute graft-versus-host disease; prednisone is widely used across many inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.