GoutPal Interactive

FDA review has been postponed from February to give time for additional analysis of cardiovascular risks.

You can find full details of the meeting, including Savient’s briefing submission on the FDA site.

So what does this mean for gout sufferers?

Assuming approval is given, do not be thinking that you have a newer, easier option for controlling your uric acid.

Krystexxa cannot be taken orally. You get dosed up every two weeks with 8mg delivered by intravenous injection.

As well as being inconvenient, there are fairly high documented reaction rates. On a positve side, it is good that severe gout sufferers have an alternative if they cannot tolerate allopurinol.

So expect plenty drug company stimulated hype over the next few weeks. In fact a gout forum regular has spotted early signs of the latest outbreak of gout hype.

It is such a pity that similar money and exposure does not go into fixing the two great fallacies inherent in healthcare regimes throughout the world:

1. Gout sufferers need better diagnosis. Too many patients are dismissed without gout because “normal” uric acid range is set too high.
2. Allopurinol is rarely prescribed properly. Most gout patients do not get the right dose, the right monitoring, or the right support.

The “shocking” statistics reveal that:

• 65% of adults admitted to being “not at all knowledgeable” about gout.
• Over 70% did not know that gout is a form of arthritis.
• 83% said they have not had their uric acid levels checked in the last five years, or weren’t sure if they had.
• 35% of gout sufferers said they have not had their uric acid levels checked in the last five years, or weren’t sure if they had.
• 49% of adults were not aware of the potential crippling effects of gout, such as needing to use a cane or walker, or having to stop working because of limited mobility.

But where did this data come from, and why does it matter?

It matters, because raising gout awareness might push more people into seeking early treatment. By controlling uric acid at the earliest opportunity, people can avoid or reduce the crippling effects of gout.

Such awareness would be good if it encouraged people to get wise advice on managing uric acid and safe alternatives for pain relief until uric acid was correctly controlled. It would be wonderful if the general practice doctor could be relied on for simple proven therapy that will allow gout patients to keep uric acid below 6mg/dL and live a pain free life.

We should praise the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society for pushing confirmed gout sufferers to seek treatment, and unconfirmed gout patients to seek diagnosis.

Unfortunately, experience (and abundant research) tells us that the doctor we rush to has, in many cases, little more knowledge about gout than we do.

Except, of course, they will have been primed by the manufacturers of recently released Uloric (febuxostat) and soon to be released Krystexxa (pegloticase / PEG-uricase / Puricase). They will know all about the new wonder drugs from Takeda and Savient – the very same pharmaceutical companies who sponsor the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society.

Developing a new gout remedy takes time and money. Lots of money. I’ve just seen an interesting review of Puricase. Follow the money to see if it leads to a successful gout treatment.

Let’s be realistic. A successful gout remedy isn’t just about patient benefits. Drug companies only survive if they make money. A hard hitting review of Savient’s financial prospects, by PharmaTracker, gives an interesting insight into the medical prospects for gout sufferers like you and I.

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Rasburicase is very effective at lowering uric acid. Why isn’t it used for treating gout?