New Gout Drug, Uloric, Approved to Lower Uric Acid

The FDA has approved febuxostat, brand name Uloric, the first new drug to treat gout in 40 years.

By Brenda Goodman

2/13/09 For the first time in 40 years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug to treat gout.

Febuxostat (Uloric) works by reducing levels of uric acid in the body.

When uric acid builds up, it can turn into needle-like crystals that deposit in the joints, causing intense pain.

The current gold-standard drug to treat gout, allopurinol, also helps to reduce uric acid levels, but serious side effects – including potentially fatal reactions – limit the amount of allopurinol that most patients can tolerate. For that reason, many who live with gout don’t get optimal doses of this drug.

In clinical trials, an 80 milligram dose of febuxostat worked better than allopurinol, while a 40 milligram dose worked at least as well as the older drug.

Febuxostat also seems to be less taxing on the kidneys than allopurinol, making it safer for patients with kidney problems.

Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis in men older than age 40.

Raghuraman

02 Nov 2011, 06:45

I used allopurinol for almost a year and the dosage was getting increased all the time with some stomach discomforts. I changed to febuxostat and uric acid levels came down pretty well. It also seems good on the stomach. At 40mg, it is much better than 100mg allopurinol.

Tony Navarro

02 Feb 2011, 20:14

I'm 45 years old, 5'8", 200 lbs and suffering from chronic gout for the past 10 years. I can't get out of the house for the past 2 months and calcium deposits are all over my body. I had an allergy with allopurinol.I am currently taking flanax forte and prednisone. At times when pain is unbearable, I have to be injected with steroids and/or pain relievers. What should be my dosage with febuxostat? Shall I continue with what pain reliever if flare-ups or an attack occurs?

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New Gout Drug, Uloric, Approved to Lower Uric Acid

The FDA has approved febuxostat, brand name Uloric, the first new drug to treat gout in 40 years.

New Gout Drug, Uloric, Approved to Lower Uric Acid

The FDA has approved febuxostat, brand name Uloric, the first new drug to treat gout in 40 years.

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