For adults with chronic refractory gout
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on KRYSTEXXA
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Rheumatology
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profiles.
Anaphylaxis
In a 52-week controlled trial of KRYSTEXXA co-administered with methotrexate (MTX) compared to KRYSTEXXA
alone, one
patient treated with KRYSTEXXA co-administered with MTX (1%) experienced anaphylaxis during the first
infusion and no
patients experienced anaphylaxis treated with KRYSTEXXA alone. Patients were pre-treated with infusion
reaction
prophylaxis and KRYSTEXXA was discontinued following 2 consecutive serum uric acid levels above 6 mg/dL
to
reduce the
risk of anaphylaxis and infusion reactions. These risks are higher in patients whose uric acid level
increases to above
6 mg/dL, particularly when 2 consecutive levels above 6 mg/dL are observed.
During pre-marketing clinical trials with KRYSTEXXA alone, KRYSTEXXA was not discontinued following 2
consecutive serum
uric acid levels above 6 mg/dL. Anaphylaxis was reported with 6.5% (8/123) of patients treated with
KRYSTEXXA every 2
weeks and 4.8% (6/126) for the every 4-week dosing regimen. There were no cases of anaphylaxis in
patients
receiving
placebo. Anaphylaxis generally occurred within 2 hours after treatment.
Diagnostic criteria of anaphylaxis were skin or mucosal tissue involvement, and, either airway
compromise,
and/or
reduced blood pressure with or without associated symptoms, and a temporal relationship to KRYSTEXXA or
placebo
injection with no other identifiable cause. Manifestations included wheezing, peri-oral or lingual
edema, or
hemodynamic
instability, with or without rash or urticaria, nausea or vomiting. Cases occurred in patients being
pre-treated with
one or more doses of an oral antihistamine, an intravenous corticosteroid and/or acetaminophen, which
may
have resulted
in an underestimate of anaphylaxis frequency reported. Patients should be informed of the symptoms and
signs
of
anaphylaxis and instructed to seek immediate medical care should anaphylaxis occur after discharge from
the
healthcare
setting.
It is recommended that before starting KRYSTEXXA patients discontinue oral urate-lowering medications
and
not institute
therapy with oral urate-lowering agents while taking KRYSTEXXA.
Infusion Reactions
In the 52-week trial, infusion reactions were reported in 4% of patients in the KRYSTEXXA
co-administered
with MTX group
compared to 31% of patients treated with KRYSTEXXA alone. In both treatment groups, the majority of
infusion
reactions
occurred at the first or second KRYSTEXXA infusion and during the time of infusion.
During pre-marketing 24-week controlled clinical trials with KRYSTEXXA alone, infusion reactions were
reported in 26% of
patients treated with KRYSTEXXA 8 mg every 2 weeks, and 41% of patients treated with KRYSTEXXA 8 mg
every 4
weeks,
compared to 5% of patients treated with placebo. These infusion reactions occurred in patients being
pre-treated with an
oral antihistamine, intravenous corticosteroid and/or acetaminophen, which may have resulted in an
underestimate of
infusion reaction frequency reported.
Manifestations of these reactions included urticaria (10.6%), dyspnea (7.1%), chest discomfort (9.5%),
chest
pain
(9.5%), erythema (9.5%), and pruritus (9.5%). These manifestations overlap with the symptoms of
anaphylaxis,
but in a
given patient did not occur together to satisfy the clinical criteria for diagnosing anaphylaxis.
Infusion
reactions
occurred at any time during a course of treatment with ~3% occurring with the first infusion, and ~91%
occurred during
the time of infusion.
KRYSTEXXA should be infused slowly over no less than 120 minutes. In the event of an infusion reaction,
the
infusion
should be slowed, or stopped and restarted at a slower rate.
Gout Flares
In the 52-week trial of KRYSTEXXA co-administered with MTX vs KRYSTEXXA alone, patients were
administered
gout flare
prophylaxis, resulting in 66% and 69% of patients
with any flare for the first 3 months, respectively. In the KRYSTEXXA co-administered with MTX group,
the
percentages of
patients with any flare for the subsequent 3 month increments of treatment were 27%, 8%, and 9% during
Months 6, 9, and
12, respectively; in the group treated with KRYSTEXXA alone, 14%, 9%, and 21% during Months 6, 9, and
12,
respectively.
During the 24-week pre-marketing, controlled trials, with KRYSTEXXA alone the frequencies of gout flares
were high in
all treatment groups, but more so with KRYSTEXXA treatment during the first 3 months, and decreased in
the
subsequent 3
months. The percentages of patients with any flare for the first 3 months were 74%, 81%, and 51%, for
KRYSTEXXA 8 mg
every 2 weeks, KRYSTEXXA 8 mg every 4 weeks, and placebo, respectively. The percentages of patients with
any
flare for
the subsequent 3 months were 41%, 57%, and 67%, for KRYSTEXXA 8 mg every 2 weeks, KRYSTEXXA 8 mg every 4
weeks, and
placebo, respectively. Patients received gout flare prophylaxis with colchicine and/or NSAIDs starting
at
least one week
before receiving KRYSTEXXA. Gout flares may occur after initiation of KRYSTEXXA. An increase in gout
flares
is
frequently observed upon initiation of anti-hyperuricemic therapy, due to changing serum uric acid
levels
resulting in
mobilization of urate from tissue deposits. Gout flare prophylaxis with a NSAID or colchicine is
recommended
starting at
least 1 week before initiation of KRYSTEXXA therapy and lasting at least 6 months, unless medically
contraindicated or
not tolerated. KRYSTEXXA does not need to be discontinued because of a gout flare. The gout flare should
be
managed
concurrently as appropriate for the individual patient.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
KRYSTEXXA has not been formally studied in patients with CHF, but some patients in the pre-marketing
placebo-controlled
clinical trials experienced exacerbation. Two cases of CHF exacerbation occurred during the trials in
patients receiving
treatment with KRYSTEXXA 8 mg every 2 weeks. No cases were reported in placebo-treated patients. Four
subjects had
exacerbations of pre-existing CHF while receiving KRYSTEXXA 8 mg every 2 weeks during the OLE study.
Exercise caution in
patients who have congestive heart failure and monitor patients closely following infusion.
Re-treatment with KRYSTEXXA
No controlled trial data are available on re-treatment after stopping treatment for longer than 4 weeks.
Due
to the
immunogenicity of KRYSTEXXA, patients receiving re-treatment may be at increased risk of anaphylaxis and
infusion
reactions. Therefore, patients receiving re-treatment after a drug-free interval should be monitored
carefully.
The most common adverse reactions (≥5%) are:
Co-administration with MTX:
Gout flares, arthralgia, COVID-19, nausea, and fatigue.
KRYSTEXXA alone:
Gout flares, infusion reactions, nausea, contusion or ecchymosis, nasopharyngitis, constipation, chest
pain,
anaphylaxis, and vomiting.
KRYSTEXXA® (pegloticase) is indicated for the treatment of chronic gout in adult patients who have failed to normalize serum uric acid and whose signs and symptoms are inadequately controlled with xanthine oxidase inhibitors at the maximum medically appropriate dose or for whom these drugs are contraindicated.
Limitations of Use: KRYSTEXXA is not recommended for the treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia.
Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning.
© 2025 Amgen Inc. All rights reserved. USA-400-80575 09/25
Prescribing Information
Medication Guide