Developing gout treatments needs lots of trials and testing.
Puricase has reached the final stage of testing (phase 3 trials) prior to application for FDA approval.
Puricase is a genetically engineered pig enzyme. It causes uric acid to break down in the body before it can build up to levels that lead to crystals being formed. Lowering of uric acid levels encourages existing crystals to dissolve, making this one of the most effective gout treatments.
Savient, the manufacturers, have reached their target of 200 participants in the Puricase phase 3 trials. Some applicants are still at the screening stage, but will be allowed to swell the numbers over 200, if they are suitable candidates.
The trial takes 6 months to complete, after which, patients are given the option of continuing their gout treatments, or going on observation. So far, all participants have opted to continue with Puricase gout treatments.
Savient believe they will be ready to apply for approval early next year.
You can read the complete press release at Medical News Today.
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Cannot wait for the results! Anything but another sythetic chemical drug and more side effects.
When are results expected and how soon will it be commercially available?
Do you know of any homeopathic equivalent for allupurinol?
Results have been trickling in over the last 2 years of Phase 3 trials.
The big milestone is getting approval to release this commercially. Application is expected this year (and may already have been made). Commercial production is expected next year - 2009.
As far as homeothapy is concerned, I don’t know. I’ve seen some research on hibiscus, and vague recollections of other natural products. Whether these can ever form part of a homeopathic approach is outside my current knowledge.
Maybe I’ll research homepathic approches next. Anybody got any pointers?