Auranofin

Auranofin is a prescription medication used in the management of active rheumatoid arthritis in patients who have failed adequate trials of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Auranofin is available under the following different brand names: Ridaura

Common side effects of Auranofin include:

• diarrhea
• rash
• itching
• abdominal pain
• inflammation or sores in the mouth

Serious side effects of Auranofin include:

• hives
• difficulty breathing
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• bloody or tarry stools
• itching
• skin rash
• sore throat
• mouth sores
• fever
• chills
• unusual bruising or bleeding
• blood in the urine
• fatigue

Rare side effects of Auranofin include:

• none

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

• Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, coordination loss, unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.
• Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights.
• Serious heart symptoms include fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in the chest; shortness of breath; sudden dizziness, lightheadedness, or passing out.

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur because of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Adult dosage

Capsule

• 3 mg

Rheumatoid arthritis

Adult dosage

• 6 mg orally once a day or divided two times a day; may increase to 9 mg/day divided three times a day after 3 months; if no response after 3 months, discontinue the drug

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, healthcare provider, or pharmacist first.

• Auranofin has severe interactions with no other drugs
• Auranofin has serious interactions with the following drugs:
• influenza virus vaccine quadrivalent, adjuvanted
• influenza virus vaccine trivalent, adjuvanted
  • pexidartinib
  • pretomanid
  • selinexor
  • tofacitinib
• Auranofin has moderate interactions with the following drugs:
  • cholera vaccine
  • meningococcal group B vaccine
  • ocrelizumab
  • ofatumumab SC
  • olaparib
  • sipuleucel-T
• Auranofin has minor interactions with the following drugs:
  • ethotoin
  • fosphenytoin
  • phenytoin

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your healthcare professional or doctor for additional medical advice, health questions, or concerns.

Contraindications

• Patients who have had previous gold-induced disorders (anaphylaxis, necrotizing enterocolitis, pulmonary fibrosis, dermatitis, bone marrow suppression, or other hematologic disorders)

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Auranofin?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Auranofin?”

Cautions

• Not to be used as the sole agent in the treatment of RA
• No evidence that gold compounds induce remission of RA
• Signs of gold toxicity
• Hemoglobin (decreased)
• Leukopenia (WBC below 4000/cu mm) [4 x10^9/L]
• Granulocytes (below 1500/cu mm) [1.5 x10^9/L]
• Platelets (below 150 x 10^3/cu mm) [150 x10^9/L]
• Proteinuria, hematuria, pruritus, rash, stomatitis, chronic diarrhea

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use with caution if the benefits outweigh the risks during pregnancy
• Lactation
  • Passes into breast milk/not recommended