Canakinumab in gout

Introduction: Gout is a painful inflammatory arthritis with a prevalence of approximately 4% in the United States, affecting an estimated 8.3 million adults. The past 20 years have shown significant increases in the number of patients with gout and its incidence may still be increasing. Current treatment options to control the pain and inflammation of acute gout include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, colchicine and corticosteroids, although patients are often unresponsive to, intolerant of, or have contraindications for, these therapies. Additional treatment options are therefore needed for this population with difficult-to-treat gout.