New Drug Holds Some Promise for Treatment-Failure Gout

IV pegloticase every 2 to 4 weeks effectively controlled uric acid levels, but the incidence of adverse events was high.

Patients with treatment-failure gout (TFG) experience pain, impaired function, and reduced quality of life. The experimental drug pegloticase — a genetically engineered, recombinant urate oxidase enzyme that converts urate to allantoin — has shown promise for treatment of this condition. In a manufacturer-funded, open-label, multicenter, parallel-group study, 41 patients with TFG were randomized to receive one of four doses of IV pegloticase (4 mg or 8 mg every 2 weeks, or 8 mg or 12 mg every 4 weeks). The primary endpoint was achievement of plasma urate levels <6 mg/dL for at least 80% of the 12- to 14-week study period.

After the first dose, uric acid levels dropped to <6 mg/dL in all treatment groups in an intent-to-treat analysis. Plasma…

Reviewing Author

Deborah M. DeMarco, MD

New Drug Holds Some Promise for Treatment-Failure Gout

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Reviewing Author