Arava

Resumen del producto

About Arava

Arava is a medicine that contains the active substance leflunomide. It is available as tablets (white and round: 10 and 100 mg; yellow and triangular: 20 mg).

What it is used for

Arava is used to treat adults with active rheumatoid arthritis (an immune-system disease causing inflammation of the joints) or active psoriatic arthritis (a disease causing red, scaly patches on the skin and inflammation of the joints). The medicine can only be obtained with a prescription.

How it is used

Arava treatment should be started and supervised by a specialist who has experience in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. The doctor should carry out blood tests to check the patient’s liver, white-blood-cell counts and platelet counts before prescribing Arava, and regularly during treatment. Arava treatment usually starts with a ‘loading dose’ of 100 mg once a day for three days, followed by a maintenance dose. The recommended maintenance dose is 10 to 20 mg once a day in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and 20 mg once a day in patients with psoriatic arthritis. The medicine usually starts to have an effect after four to six weeks. Its effect may improve further for up to six months.

How it works

The active substance in Arava, leflunomide, is an immunosuppressant. It reduces inflammation by reducing the production of immune cells called ‘lymphocytes’, which are responsible for inflammation. Leflunomide does this by blocking an enzyme called ‘dihydroorotate dehydrogenase’, which is necessary for the lymphocytes to multiply. With fewer lymphocytes, there is less inflammation, helping to control the symptoms of arthritis.

Active substance: leflunomide

Source: EMA EPAR