• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center

Show Search
Hide Search
  • Disease Information
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Psoriatic Arthritis
    • Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Gout
    • Osteoporosis
  • Patient Corner
    • Drug Information Sheets
    • Managing Your Arthritis
    • RheumTV – Patient Education Video Library
  • Our Research
    • Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
    • Current Research Studies
    • The Camille Julia Morgan Arthritis Research and Education Fund
  • About Us
    • Appointment Information
    • Contact Us
    • Our Faculty
    • Our Staff
    • Rheumatology Specialty Centers
    • News & Updates
  • Donate
Home / Patient Corner / Drug Information Sheets / Anakinra (Kineret®) Drug Information Sheet

Anakinra (Kineret®) Drug Information Sheet

What is Anakinra (Kineret®)?

Anakinra is a drug that reduces the signs and symptoms of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), such as joint swelling, pain, fatigue, and morning stiffness. It is used for patients who have not gotten better when treated with one or more treatments used for RA.  It is also used to treat Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes.  Anakinra is known as Kineret® and is an IL-1 inhibitor. It is part of a class of drugs called biologics.

How do I take it?

When anakinra is being used for treating RA, the dose is 100mg per day as an injection under the skin. The drug should be injected at around the same time every day. If you miss a dose, call your healthcare provider to find out when ou should use your next injection.

You will be instructed on how to give yourself injections. You should inject anakinra in a different site every day. You should make sure you have a complete understanding of how to prepare and give the injection, and how to dispose of the empty syringes before beginning this treatment. Do not take more or less medicine than ordered.

What about side effects?

This medicine can cause slight irritation near the injection site. If this happens, the discomfort should be mild. These irritations may happen up for up to 1 month.  If you have pain, swelling, warmth, or discoloration near the injection site, you should contact your healthcare provider.

Allergic reactions may happen. Call your healthcare provider or an emergency medical provider if you have any signs of an allergic reaction, such as rashes or hives; swollen face, eyelids, lips, or tongue; and difficulty breathing.

The most common serious side effect is infection. Anakinra can lower the body’s ability to fight infection. Anakinra may cause you to have a decrease in your white blood cells, which may make it harder for you to fight infection. Be sure to contact your physician if have any signs of infection, such as fever, fatigue, cough, or red or painful skin.  Inform your doctor if you have a history of recurring infections. You may have to stop abatacept while being treated for an infection.  You may also need to stop anakinra if you are planning a surgery.

You will need to have a negative tuberculosis (TB) skin test before beginning abatacept therapy. Your doctor may also want to check your blood to make sure you do not have Hepatitis B or C

What about other medications?

When you are taking anakinra, it is very important that your doctors know if you are taking any other medicine. This includes prescription and non-prescription medicines as well as birth control pills, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Anakinra can be taken with other medications – NSAIDS (Celebrex®, ibuprofen, naproxen), prednisone, methotrexate, and plaquenil. It cannot be taken with TNF inhibitors, such as Enbrel®, Remicade®, and Humira®, or other biologic drugs.

What else should I know?

Your physician will do periodic blood tests to check your blood counts and monitor for side effects. Let your doctor know if you have a latex allergy, (syringes and gloves contain latex products). You will be monitored periodically to check the effectiveness of this treatment. Your doctor may want to stop Kineret if you develop a serious infection.

Notify your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms of a serious infection, such as high fever, pneumonia, sinus infection or kidney infection.

A Federal Drug Administration approved medication guide can be found at:

  • http://www.kineretrx.com/fileadmin/user_upload/pdfs/PP-1322_Kineret_USPI_June_2016.pdf

 

Receive the Latest News from Johns Hopkins Rheumatology

Receive the Latest News from Johns Hopkins Rheumatology

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from Johns Hopkins Rheumatology.

Interested In

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Use of this Site

All information contained within the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center website is intended for educational purposes only. Physicians and other health care professionals are encouraged to consult other sources and confirm the information contained within this site. Consumers should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something they may have read on this website.

Primary Sidebar

Drug Information

  • Drug Information Sheets
  • How to Give a Subcutaneous Injection

List of Treatments

  • Abatacept (Orencia®)
  • Adalimumab (Humira®)
  • Alendronate (Fosamax®)
  • Anakinra (Kineret®)
  • Apremilast (Otezla®)
  • Azathioprine (Imuran®)
  • Certolizumab (Cimzia®)
  • Corticosteroids (i.e. Prednisone)
  • Etanercept (Enbrel®)
  • Febuxostat (Uloric®)
  • Golimumab (Simponi®)
  • Golimumab for infusion (Simponi Aria®)
  • Hyaluronate (Synvisc® & Hyalgan®)
  • Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil®)
  • Ibandronate Sodium (Boniva®)
  • Infliximab (Remicade®)
  • Leflunomide (Arava®)
  • Lesinurad/Allopurinol (Duzallo®)
  • Lesinurad (Zurampic®)
  • Methotrexate (Oral)
  • Methotrexate (Injection)
  • Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs
  • Pegloticase (KRYSTEXXA®)
  • Probenecid
  • Risedronate (Actonel®)
  • Rituximab (Rituxan®)
  • Sarilumab (Kevzara®)
  • Secukinumab (Cosentyx®)
  • Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine®)
  • Teriparatide (Forteo®)
  • Tocilizumab (Actemra®)
  • Tofacitinib (Xeljanz®/XeljanzXR®)
  • Ustekinumab (Stelara®) Drug Information Sheet
  • Zolendronic Acid (Reclast®)
RheumTV Logo

Rheum.TV is an informational platform created to educate patients living with a rheumatic disease. With over 100 disease education videos produced by the team at Johns Hopkins Rheumatology.

Visit Rheum.TV

Footer

Johns Hopkins Rheumatology

  • Johns Hopkins Rheumatology
  • Johns Hopkins Lupus Center
  • Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center
  • Johns Hopkins Myositis Center
  • Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center
  • Johns Hopkins Sjögren’s Syndrome Center
  • Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Johns Hopkins Medicine

© 2025 Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center
Patient Privacy