The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first new treatment option for gout in more than 40 years .

Gout is a disease that is caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues. Febuxostat (marketed as Uloric®) is a once-daily drug which can be used by patients for long-term management of hyperuricemia, or excess uric acid in the blood. It works by inhibiting xanthine oxidase, an enzyme involved in the formation of uric acid, thereby reducing the levels of uric acid in the blood. FDA approval of febuxostat was based on clinical trials involving over 4000 patients, some of whom were treated for up to 5 years.

Gout affects over 5 million Americans, making it the most common inflammatory arthritis in men over the age of 40. Gout sufferers who are interested in febuxostat should talk to their healthcare providers for more information about the safety and efficacy of the drug, as febuxostat may not be appropriate for everyone.

Source

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, news release, February 14, 2009.