Overreaction of the immune system is typical for healthy, young people. It is considered to be the major cause of death from pandemic outbreaks of flu. The suggestion is thought to be true for the early stages of “swine flu” (H1N1). Abatacept (Orencia) has been approved by FDA for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, but not for the treatment of influenza yet.

The efficacy of the drug was tested on mice. It was found that the survival of mice treated Abatacept (Orencia) was 30% higher than among the untreated mice given the lethal dose of the virus influenza A. Recovery time was shorter and lung damage less severe among the mice treated with Abatacept (Orencia). Researchers found that the treatment diminished the tissue damage resulting from the immune overreaction and still allowed the body to combat the virus. The survival rate among the treated mice was considerably higher – 80% against 50% among the untreated mice.

The effect of leflunomide on the disease is still to be tested.

Currently three types of seasonal influenza are known: A, B and C. There is a number of Influenza A subtypes of including the recently discovered strain H1N1 also called “swine flu”. Today vaccination remains the most effective method of preventing the influenza virus infection. The popular antiviral drug, Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) stops the virus multiplication when taken within the first 2 days of influenza symptoms.

Source: http://www.arthritistoday.org/news/arthritis-drug-flu.php

Arava (leflunomide) was unanimously recommended by the FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) arthritis advisory committee to treat active rheumatoid arthritis in august, 1998 and fully approved on September 11, 1998.

At that time, leflunomide (brand name Arava) became the first new disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) aimed to treat of rheumatoid arthritis in more than ten years’ period.

Leflunomide Tests

Prior to being recommended and approved, leflunomide has been tested against other widely used rheumatoid arthritis medications, such as methotrexate. Over 480 americans with moderate rheumatoid arthritis participated in the tests. As a result, about 41 % of patients taking Arava (leflunomide) achieved improvement in their physical condition against only 19 % of those treated by placebo. Patients taking methotrexate experienced approximately the same effect as those thaking Arava (leflunomide).
X-rays examination of the patients’ joints revealed that with Arava (leflunomide) arthritis progressed for times as slowly as with placebo. Methotrexate proved to be more effective is slowing arthritis progression than placebo, but not as effective as Arava (leflunomide).
Another “pro” was that Arava (leflunomide) side effects were reversible and not severe, compared to methotrexate which was associated with the risk kidney failure in some cases. In addition, methotrexate lost effectiveness over time. Such difference was observed because Arava (leflunomide) and methotrexate target different enzymes while suppressing the overactive immune system. However, the basic principle of work remains the same – suppressing an overactive immune system.
Arava (leflunomide) proved to be more safe an effective than other rheumatoid arthritis drugs.