Prescription medication · Recombinant Uricase

pegloticase

Also sold as Krystexxa. Krystexxa is used to treat chronic gout in adults.

Data updated 2026-05-15

3,350
FDA reportsLightly reported
2
InteractionsFew interactions
Rx
Availability

What the data shows

pegloticase (Krystexxa) is a prescription Recombinant Uricase, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (3,350 FDA reports), with 2 documented drug interactions.

Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.

pegloticase (Krystexxa) is a prescription Recombinant Uricase. Krystexxa is used to treat chronic gout in adults.

Krystexxa is a medicine used to treat chronic gout in adults when other treatments don't work well enough. It helps lower uric acid levels in your blood.

Compare with Another Drug → Full Side Effects Report →

What it does

Krystexxa is used to treat chronic gout in adults.

Common side effects

Gout flares, Nausea, Infusion reactions

Key warnings

Krystexxa can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, during or after the infusion.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from pegloticase's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Krystexxa contains an enzyme that breaks down uric acid in your body. This helps to lower the amount of uric acid in your blood. Lowering uric acid can reduce gout symptoms.

Side Effects (from patient reports)

Based on 3,350 FDA adverse event reports.

Most-reported reactions

Adverse reactions in FAERS for pegloticase, by number of reports

reports

What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.

Source FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) As of 2025

Reports over time

Adverse-event reports filed for pegloticase each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

0200400600800 20112013201520172019202120232025 469

Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.

Where pegloticase sits

pegloticase has more FDA adverse-event reports than 20% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.

fewest reports most reports

Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is pegloticase; the line is the median (50th percentile).

FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis

Detailed analysis of 3,350 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2011–2025.

Total Reports

3,350

Reports Mentioning Death

107

3.2% of reports — not proof of cause

Hospitalization Reports

610

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Gender Distribution

Female 412 (19%)
Male 1,722 (80%)

Age Distribution

0–17 12
18–44 286
45–64 614
65–74 303
75+ 195

Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)

# Reaction Reports
1 GOUT 539
2 BLOOD URIC ACID INCREASED 378
3 INFUSION RELATED REACTION 358
4 THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE DECREASED 240
5 DYSPNOEA 166
7 URTICARIA 138
8 NAUSEA 133
9 PRURITUS 129
10 RASH 123
12 CHEST PAIN 112
13 PAIN 106
14 DIZZINESS 105
15 ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION 99
16 CHEST DISCOMFORT 96
17 FATIGUE 93

Reactions in Death Reports

DEATH 53
GOUT 9
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 7
CARDIAC ARREST 6
SEPSIS 5
ASTHENIA 4
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE 4
FALL 4
MALAISE 4
PAIN 4

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

GOUT 100
DYSPNOEA 57
INFUSION RELATED REACTION 47
CHEST PAIN 41
ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION 35
DIZZINESS 34
PAIN 30
ARTHRALGIA 29
NAUSEA 29
VOMITING 29

Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation

Serious Warnings

Krystexxa can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, during or after the infusion. You should receive Krystexxa in a healthcare setting where anaphylaxis can be treated. If you have G6PD deficiency, you should not take Krystexxa, as it can cause red blood cell problems.

Known Drug Interactions

( 7.2 ) Pegloticase: Discontinue and refrain from initiating treatment with allopurinol tablets. Pegloticase Clinical Impact Concomitant use of allopurinol tablets and pegloticase may potentially blunt the rise of serum uric acid levels and increase the risk of pegloticase related anaphylaxis in patients whose uric acid level increase to above 6 mg/dL. Intervention Discontinue and do not institute allopurinol tablets therapy during treatment with pegloticase.

Mechanism: Allopurinol can hide changes in your blood levels that warn doctors of a possible severe allergic reaction to pegloticase.

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 7.1 Methotrexate KRYSTEXXA 8 mg every 2 weeks has been studied in patients with chronic gout refractory to conventional therapy taking concomitant oral methotrexate 15 mg weekly [see Clinical Studies (14) ] . Co-administration of methotrexate with KRYSTEXXA may increase pegloticase concentration compared to KRYSTEXXA alone [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .

Mechanism: Taking methotrexate along with pegloticase can cause the levels of pegloticase to stay higher in your blood than usual.

This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.

Common Questions

What should I do before starting Krystexxa?
Stop taking any other uric acid-lowering medicines before starting Krystexxa.
How often will I receive Krystexxa?
Krystexxa is usually given every two weeks.
Will I need any other medications with Krystexxa?
Your doctor will likely prescribe methotrexate to take weekly.
What should I do if I experience an infusion reaction?
Tell your healthcare provider immediately if you feel unwell during or after the infusion.
How will my doctor monitor my treatment?
Your doctor will check your uric acid levels before each infusion.
Can Krystexxa cause allergic reactions?
Yes, Krystexxa can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.
What is G6PD deficiency?
G6PD deficiency is a genetic condition that can cause red blood cell problems. If you have G6PD deficiency, you should not take Krystexxa.
Can I take Krystexxa if I have kidney problems?
No dose adjustment is needed if you have kidney problems, but talk to your doctor.
What if my uric acid levels go above 6 mg/dL?
Your doctor may stop Krystexxa treatment if your uric acid levels stay above 6 mg/dL.
Will I get medicine before my infusion?
Yes, you will get antihistamines and corticosteroids before each infusion.
What are the common side effects of pegloticase?
The registry lists Gout flares, Nausea, Infusion reactions, Joint pain, COVID-19 among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for pegloticase. The compiled record contains 3,350 FDA adverse-event reports. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
Does pegloticase interact with other medications?
The registry has 2 documented interaction rows for pegloticase. Notable source-record pairings include allopurinol, methotrexate. These rows are not a complete medication review.
What drug class is pegloticase?
pegloticase belongs to the Recombinant Uricase drug class. It requires a prescription (Rx). Krystexxa is used to treat chronic gout in adults.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for pegloticase?
The FDA label for pegloticase contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.

Other drugs grouped near pegloticase - same-class peers and common alternatives.

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Compare beyond drug class

Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share

Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for pegloticase: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.

Medication Guides

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What the FDA Data Shows for pegloticase

The FDA label for pegloticase (sold under brand names such as Krystexxa) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Recombinant Uricase class. Krystexxa is used to treat chronic gout in adults. Official labeling lists 11 commonly reported side effects, including Gout flares, Nausea, Infusion reactions.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 3,350 voluntary reports. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.

Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.

Data Sources

Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.

Last updated: August 29, 2025

PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.

Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.

All federal data sources used on this page