uloric
Uloric (Febuxostat) is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor used to treat Gout.
Febuxostat · by Takeda Pharms USA
Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Febuxostat
- Drug class
- Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor
- Form
- Tablet
- Strength
- Febuxostat 40MG · Febuxostat 80MG
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Brand-name
- May treat
- gout
- Manufacturer
- Takeda Pharms USA
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$6.48 for 30 — not your price
- FDA application
- NDA021856
- FDA boxed warning
- Yes — see the boxed warning
What is Uloric?
From the FDA label:ULORIC (febuxostat) is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor. The active ingredient in ULORIC is 2-[3-cyano-4-(2-methylpropoxy) phenyl]-4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid, with a molecular weight of 316.38. The empirical formula is C 16 H 16 N 2 O 3 S. The chemical structure is: Febuxostat is a non-hygroscopic, white crystalline powder that is freely soluble in dimethylformamide; soluble in dimethylsulfoxide; sparingly soluble in ethanol; slightly soluble in methanol and acetonitrile; and practically insoluble in water. The melting range is 205°C to 208°C. ULORIC tablets for oral use contain the active ingredient, febuxostat, and are available in two dosage strengths, 40 mg and 80 mg. Inactive ingredients include hydroxypropyl cellulose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, silicon dioxide, and sodium croscarmellose. ULORIC tablets are coated with Opadry II, green. Chemical Structure
How to use
Recommended dosage is 40 mg or 80 mg once daily. The recommended starting dosage is 40 mg once daily. For patients who do not achieve a serum uric acid (sUA) less than 6 mg/dL after 2 weeks, the recommended dosage is 80 mg once daily. ( 2.1 ) Patients with severe renal impairment: Limit the dosage to 40 mg once daily. ( 2.2 , 8.6 ) Flare prophylaxis is recommended upon initiation of ULORIC. ( 2.4 ) Can be administered without regard to food or antacid use. ( 2.1 ) 2.1 Recommended Dosage The recommended ULORIC dosage is 40 mg or 80 mg once daily. The recommended starting dosage of ULORIC is 40 mg once daily. For patients who do not achieve a serum uric acid (sUA) less than 6 mg/dL after two weeks, the recommended ULORIC dosage is 80 mg once daily. ULORIC can be taken without regard to food or antacid use [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Concurrent prophylactic treatment with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or colchicine is recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.4) and Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ]. 2.2 Dosage Recommendations in Patients with Renal Impairment and Hepatic Impairment The recommended dosage of ULORIC is limited to 40 mg once daily in patients with severe renal impairment. No dose modification is necessary when administering ULORIC in patients with mild or moderate renal impairment [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6) and Clinical…
Side effects
The following serious adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the prescribing information: Cardiovascular Death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Hepatic Effects [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Serious Skin Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Adverse reactions in ≥ 1% of patients treated with ULORIC are liver function abnormalities, nausea, arthralgia, and rash. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. at 1-877-TAKEDA-7 (1-877-825-3327) or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. In Phase 2 and 3 clinical studies, a total of 2757 patients with hyperuricemia and gout were treated with ULORIC 40 mg or 80 mg daily. For ULORIC 40 mg, 559 patients were treated for ≥6 months. For ULORIC 80 mg, 1377 patients were treated for ≥6 months, 674 patients were treated for ≥1 year and 515 patients were treated for ≥2 years. In the CARES study, a total of 3098 patients were treated with ULORIC 40 mg or 80 mg daily; of these, 2155 patients were treated for ≥1 year and 1539 were treated for ≥2 years [see Clinical Studies…
FDA Boxed Warning (the FDA’s most serious warning)
Boxed (black-box) warning — from the FDA label
Gout patients with established cardiovascular (CV) disease treated with ULORIC had a higher rate of CV death compared to those treated with allopurinol in a CV outcomes study [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Consider the risks and benefits of ULORIC when deciding to prescribe or continue patients on ULORIC. ULORIC should only be used in patients who have an inadequate response to a maximally titrated dose of allopurinol, who are intolerant to allopurinol, or for whom treatment with allopurinol is not advisable [see Indications and Usage (1) ] . WARNING: CARDIOVASCULAR DEATH See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. Gout patients with established cardiovascular (CV) disease treated with ULORIC had a higher rate of CV death compared to those treated with allopurinol in a CV outcomes study. ( 5.1 ) Consider the risks and benefits of ULORIC when deciding to prescribe or continue patients on ULORIC. ULORIC should only be used in patients who have an inadequate response to a maximally titrated dose of allopurinol, who are intolerant to allopurinol, or for whom treatment with allopurinol is not advisable. ( 1 )
Warnings
Important safety information
Gout Flares : An increase in gout flares is frequently observed after initiation of ULORIC. If a gout flare occurs during treatment, ULORIC need not be discontinued. Prophylactic therapy (i.e., non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug or colchicine) upon initiation of treatment may be beneficial for up to six months. ( 2.4 , 5.2 ) Hepatic Effects : Cases of hepatic failure, some fatal, have been reported. If liver injury is detected, promptly interrupt ULORIC and treat cause, if possible, to resolution or stabilization. Permanently discontinue ULORIC if liver injury is confirmed, and no alternate etiology can be found. ( 5.3 ) Serious Skin Reactions : Serious skin and hypersensitivity reactions, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported in patients taking ULORIC. Discontinue ULORIC if serious skin reactions are suspected. ( 5.4 ) 5.1 Cardiovascular Death In a cardiovascular (CV) outcome study, gout patients with established CV disease treated with ULORIC had a higher rate of CV death compared to those treated with allopurinol. Sudden cardiac death was the most common cause of adjudicated CV deaths, 2.7% in the ULORIC group (83 of 3,098) as compared to 1.8% in the allopurinol group (56 of 3,092). ULORIC was similar to allopurinol for nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), nonfatal stroke and unstable angina with urgent coronary revascularization [see Clinical Studies (14.2) ] . Because of the increased risk of CV death, ULORIC should only be used in patients who have an inadequate response to a maximally titrated dose of allopurinol, who are intolerant to allopurinol, or for whom treatment with allopurinol is not advisable [see Indications and Usage(1) ] . Consider the risks and benefits of ULORIC when deciding to prescribe or continue patients on ULORIC. Consider use of prophylactic low-dose aspirin therapy in patients with a history of CV disease. Monitor patients for the development of CV events. Inform patients about the symptoms of serious CV events and the steps to take if they occur. 5.2 Gout Flares After initiation of ULORIC, an increase in gout flares is frequently observed. This increase is due to reduction in serum uric acid levels, resulting in mobilization of urate from tissue deposits. In order to prevent gout flares when ULORIC is initiated, concurrent prophylactic treatment with an NSAID or colchicine is recommended [see Dosage and Administration (2.4) ]. 5.3 Hepatic Effects Cases of fatal and nonfatal hepatic failure in patients taking ULORIC have been reported. During randomized controlled studies, transaminase elevations greater than three times the upper limit of normal (ULN) were observed (AST: 2%, 2%, and ALT: 3%, 2% in ULORIC and allopurinol-treated patients, respectively). No dose-effect relationship for these transaminase elevations was noted [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Obtain a liver test panel (serum alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin) as a baseline before initiating ULORIC. Measure liver tests promptly in patients who report symptoms that may indicate liver injury, including fatigue, anorexia, right upper abdominal discomfort, dark urine or jaundice. In this clinical context, if the patient presents abnormal liver tests (ALT or AST greater than three times the upper limit of the reference range), interrupt ULORIC treatment while investigating the probable cause. Permanently discontinue ULORIC if liver injury is confirmed, and no alternate etiology can be found. Permanently discontinue ULORIC in patients who have serum ALT or AST greater than three times the reference range with serum total bilirubin greater than two times the reference range without alternative etiologies because they are at risk for severe drug-induced liver injury. For patients with lesser elevations of serum ALT or bilirubin and with an alternate probable cause, treatment with ULORIC can be used with close monitoring. 5.4 Serious Skin Reactions Serious skin and hypersensitivity reactions, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) have been reported postmarketing in patients taking ULORIC. Discontinue ULORIC if serious skin reactions are suspected [see Patient Counseling Information (17) ]. Many of these patients had reported previous similar skin reactions to allopurinol. ULORIC should be used with close monitoring in these patients.
Who should not take Uloric
ULORIC is contraindicated in patients being treated with azathioprine or mercaptopurine [see Drug Interactions (7) ] . ULORIC is contraindicated in patients being treated with azathioprine or mercaptopurine. ( 4 )
Overdose — what happens if you take too much
ULORIC was studied in healthy patients in doses up to 300 mg daily for seven days without evidence of dose-limiting toxicities. No overdose of ULORIC was reported in clinical studies. Patients should be managed by symptomatic and supportive care should there be an overdose.
U.S. Poison Control: call or text 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). In an emergency call 911. From the FDA label; not medical advice.
Interactions
Concomitant administration of ULORIC with XO substrate drugs, azathioprine or mercaptopurine could increase plasma concentrations of these drugs resulting in severe toxicity. ( 7 ) 7.1 Xanthine Oxidase Substrate Drugs ULORIC is an XO inhibitor. Based on a drug interaction study in healthy patients, febuxostat altered the metabolism of theophylline (a substrate of XO) in humans [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Therefore, use with caution when coadministering ULORIC with theophylline. A drug interaction study of ULORIC and azathioprine, also metabolized by XO, showed an increase in exposure of 6-mercaptopurine which may lead to toxicity [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] . Drug interaction studies of ULORIC with other drugs that are metabolized by XO (e.g., mercaptopurine) have not been conducted. ULORIC is contraindicated in patients being treated with azathioprine or mercaptopurine [see Contraindications (4) ]. 7.2 Cytotoxic Chemotherapy Drugs Drug interaction studies of ULORIC with cytotoxic chemotherapy have not been conducted. No data are available regarding the safety of ULORIC during cytotoxic chemotherapy. 7.3 In Vivo Drug Interaction Studies Based on drug interaction studies in healthy patients, ULORIC does not have clinically significant interactions with colchicine, naproxen, indomethacin, hydrochlorothiazide, warfarin or desipramine [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ]. Therefore, ULORIC may be used concomitantly with these medications.
Drug class
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
See how Uloric ranks — best-rated xanthine oxidase inhibitor for:
Dosage forms
Tablet
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
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Frequently asked questions
- What does Uloric treat?
- Uloric (Febuxostat) may be used to treat gout, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- How much does Uloric cost?
- Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $6.48 for 30, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins. Pharmacies pay less for a same-class option, Aloprim — about $1.66 on the same basis.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Uloric?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Uloric. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes Uloric?
- Uloric is marketed by Takeda Pharms USA. You can see Takeda Pharms USA's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Uloric a brand-name or generic drug?
- Uloric is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Febuxostat.
- Is Uloric available over the counter?
- No. Uloric is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does Uloric come in?
- Uloric is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- What class of drug is Uloric?
- Uloric is classified as xanthine oxidase inhibitor, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
- Is Uloric FDA-registered?
- Uloric is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA021856. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Is Uloric safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Uloric. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Uloric?
- Uloric's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: The following serious adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the prescribing information: Cardiovascular Death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Hepatic Effects [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Serious Skin Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Adverse reactions in ≥ 1% of p… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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