Aubagio : Uses, Side effects, and Interactions

Overview

What is Aubagio ?

Aubagio is a prescription medicine for treating multiple sclerosis symptoms in adults. Multiple sclerosis is a persistent disease in which the immune cells attack the protective sheath covering the brain and the spinal cord.¹Overview| Researched based study from Sciencedirect.com

The drug prevents the quick multiplication of the immune cells, prevents inflammation, and slows the disease progression. Aubagio may be used singly or with other medication

Key facts

Key facts of Aubagio

• In 2012, the FDA ( Food and Drug Administration) approved the use of the Aubagio drug ¹Key facts| Researched based study from Sciencedirect.com
• Aubagio contains teriflunomide as the active ingredient.
• Teriflunomide is an immunomodulatory drug that inhibits pyrimidine synthesis.
• Pyrimidine is one of the chemical compounds the cell utilizes to make the building blocks of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid(RNA).
• Immunomodulatory drugs are medications to reduce the immune response of the body ²Key facts| Researched based study from Sciencedirect.com

Mode of action

• The exact way how Aubagio works is still being determined.
• However, it is believed that Aubagio blocks specific proteins that make the immune system attack the protective sheath around the brain and the spinal cord ³Key facts| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Dosage

Dosage of Aubagio

• The prescribed dose of Aubagio depends on factors such as age, severity and type of disease, and other medications the person is already on.
• The doctor starts with a lower dose and then gradually adjusts to give the ideal amount suitable for the patient.
• The recommended dose the doctor usually prescribes is one tablet daily ⁴Dosage| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov
• It is best to take Aubagio every day at the same time to maintain a steady level of the drug in the body and to get the best out of the drug.
• Aubagio is available in tablet form that can be swallowed. The available powers (strength) of Aubagio are as 7mg (milligrams) and 14 mg ⁷Dosage| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Uses

Uses of Aubagio

Aubagio is used for treating the following conditions of multiple sclerosis:

• Clinically isolated syndrome
• Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
• Active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

Clinically isolated syndrome

• It is the first nerve attack of multiple sclerosis. However, a person with clinically isolated syndrome always does not develop multiple sclerosis.

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

• It is the stage in which the patient experiences periods of symptoms that worsens along with intermittent periods with no symptoms

Active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis

• It is the later stage of multiple sclerosis that worsens with time ⁵Uses| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Side effects

Side effects of Aubagio

Common side effects of Aubagio

• Hair loss
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Liver damage

Mild side effects of Aubagio

• Joint pain
• Low levels of blood phosphate
• Headache
• Hair loss
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea

Serious side effects of Aubagio

• High blood pressure
• Low WBC (white blood cell) count
• Numbness in the feet and hands
• Breathing difficulty
• Heart problem
• Lung problem
• Kidney malfunctioning
• Liver damage
• Severe Skin problem
• Serious allergic reaction ⁶Side effects| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Overdose toxicity

• To date, there is insufficient information on the overdose toxicity of Aubagio.
• However, if one has accidentally taken too much of Aubagio, he must immediately dial the emergency medical number according to the geographical location and seek medical help.

Precautions

Precautions of Aubagio

Who should not take Aubagio

• Nursing mothers and children should avoid using the Aubagio drug due to a lack of information on the safety and efficiency of the drug in these groups.
• Pregnant women should avoid consuming Aubagio as it can cause significant congenital disabilities.
• People planning to get pregnant
• One with liver disease
• People with diabetes (high blood sugar)
• One with tuberculosis(a condition that affects the lungs)
• One with a previous allergic reaction to leflunomide and teriflunomide
• People on medication for rheumatoid arthritis
• People with an immune disorder
• With a blood disorder ⁸Precautions| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov
• Aubagio can cause liver failure. Taking Aubagio with other drugs that affect the liver might cause complete liver damage ⁹Precautions| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Interactions

Interactions of Aubagio

Anticoagulant (Blood thinning medication)

• Taking Aubagio and anticoagulant viz; warfarin together might decrease the efficiency of the drug.
• It might cause the blood to clot

Immunosuppressants

• Immunosuppressants are drugs to suppress the immune response of the body.
• Aubagio also suppresses the immune system So, taking Aubagio and immunosuppressants such as cancer drugs together might increase the risk of infections.

Hormonal Contraceptives

• Hormonal Contraceptives are birth control medications that prevent pregnancy.
• Taking Aubagio and Hormonal Contraceptives viz; ethinyl estradiol together might increase the hormone levels in the body, causing hormonal imbalance.

Cholesterol-lowering medication

• Taking Aubagio and cholesterol-lowering medication together, such as atorvastatin, might increase the blood levels of the medication.
• It might increase the side effects of the drug.

Live vaccines (Rubella vaccine, mumps vaccine)

• A live vaccine is a biological preparation that contains the germ in a weakened form.
• In rare cases, in people with a weakened immune system, the live vaccine-weakened germ can convert to a full-strength germ and can cause the disease in the person instead of preventing it.
• Aubagio weakens the immune response of the body.
• Taking Aubagio and live vaccine together puts the individual at risk of developing the disease instead of getting the prevention.

Leflunomide

• Leflunomide is a drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
• Taking Aubagio and Leflunomide together might increase the blood levels of Aubagio.
• It might damage the liver

Some other medications that might interact with Aubagio are as follows:

• Bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG)
• Amodiaquine
• Asunaprevir
• Grazoprevir
• Natalizumab
• Revefenacin
• Elagolix
• Topical tacrolimus
• Topotecan
• Tizanidine ¹⁰Interactions| Researched based study from Nlm.nih.gov

Alternatives

Alternatives to Aubagio

Gilenya

• Gilenya is an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis in both adults and children of 10 years and above.
• Gilenya contains fingolimod as the active ingredient.

Tecfidera

• Tecfidera is an FDA-approved drug for multiple sclerosis treatment.
• It contains dimethyl fumarate and belongs to a different drug class from Aubagio’s teriflunomide. So the drug’s mode of action is different for both Tecfidera and Aubagio.

Some of the other FDA-approved drugs for multiple sclerosis other than Aubagio are as follows:

• Ocrevus
• Copaxone
• Rebif
• Tysabri ¹¹Alternatives| Researched based study from Fda.gov

Cost & Storage

Cost and Storage of Aubagio

Cost

• The cost of Aubagio varies as with all other medications. The actual price one has to pay depends on the geographical location, insurance coverage, and the health store one is using.

Storage

• One should keep the Aubagio tablets at room temperature (20 to 25-degree centigrade)
• One should keep it in a dry place away from direct sunlight
• One should keep it away from the reach of young children and kids

Disposal

• One should immediately dispose of any unused drug safely in a thrash to prevent accidental consumption by animals and pets.
• One should throw away the drugs that have crossed the expiry date

Takeaway

Key Takeaways

• Aubagio is an FDA-approved drug for treating multiple sclerosis but is not a cure.
• It contains the active ingredient teriflunomide, which slows the disease progression.
• One prescribed with Aubagio drug must follow the dose directed by the physician to avoid unwanted complications.