Image via WikipediaOn September 14th, the FDA approved Krystexxa (pegloticase) for the treatment of painful gout in adults who do not respond to or who are unable to tolerate conventional treatment. Approximately 3% of the 3 million adults who have gout are not sufficiently helped by conventional therapy. Krystexxa will be an important treatment option for those patients.As you read this you may be wondering what conventional therapy consists of for gout. Typically, gout patients are prescribed drugs that lower their uric acid level in the blood (examples include allopurinol and febuxostat). Krystexxa is an enzyme that lowers uric acid levels by metabolizing it into a chemical that is then excreted by the urine. Krystexxa is administered every two weeks as an intravenous infusion.
There were two 6-month clinical trials involving 212 patients that showed Krystexxa lowered uric acid levels and reduced uric acid crystal deposits in joint and soft tissue. One in 4 patients participating in the trials developed a severe allergic reaction when receiving their Krystexxa infusion so doctors are being advised to give corticosteroid and antihistamine medication to minimize any possible reaction.
No comments:
Post a Comment