According to the Arthritis Foundation, gout affects four percent of American adults, approximately two million women and six million men. While that is not a particularly high percentage, the raw numbers of people suffering from this extremely painful ailment are considerable. Krystexxa is a prescription drug that aims to treat and relieve gout in a niche group of gout sufferers: those who have chronic refractory gout and who are unable to take other gout medications.
Ingredients
The active ingredient of Horizon Pharma’s Krystexxa is pegloticase. This is a type of enzyme that metabolizes uric acid into innocuous chemicals and thereafter eliminates them from your body through urination.
Keep in mind that pegloticase is only used to treat chronic gout and only when other gout medications didn’t work. Otherwise, it could lead to side effects, which you will learn more about in the succeeding sections.
Dosage
The recommended dose of Krystexxa for adult patients is 8mg, administered through intravenous infusion every two weeks. The optimal treatment duration has not yet been established and it will depend on your doctor’s recommendation. Unless your gout is under control or your body does not respond well to it, you may have to take it continuously.
Possible Side Effects
Pay attention to this one. Despite its good intentions, Krystexxa could cause side effects such as gout attacks or flare-ups, infusion reactions, and life threatening allergic reactions. Sore throat, nausea, chest pain, constipation, bruising and vomiting can also result. Additional possible side effects include shortness of breath, hives fast or weak heartbeat, reddening of the face, difficulty swallowing, or fainting among others.
Horizon Pharma’s Krystexxa is not recommended if you are pregnant or planning to conceive, have G6PD deficiency, existing heart problems, are breastfeeding or have previously received Krystexxa.
Price
The drug manufacturer’s website is silent as to the exact price of Krystexxa. According to Drugs.com, the cost for this intravenous solution per unit is between $14,881 to almost $20,000. The manufacturer offers discount help with navigating the insurance process as well as a Patient Assistance Program for those who lack insurance coverage. It also has a Co-Pay Reduction Program which can help eligible patients with up to $15,000 total program benefits per calendar year.
Guarantee
Horizon Pharma does not offer any kind of guarantee.
Conclusion of Our Horizon Pharma Krystexxa Review
Krystexxa can be an effective drug to address chronic refractory gout and help you manage the condition, especially if the other drugs you tried have not helped or are no longer available.
However, given its cost, Krystexxa is often a last resort, even according to the manufacturer. The price tag is obviously an issue for just about anyone who is not independently wealthy and the potential for extremely serious side effects combine to indeed make this a last resort, if it is something that should be resorted to at all.