-- Horizon to also host onsite discussion with prominent researchers on pathophysiology of gout --

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 22, 2018-- Horizon Pharma plc (Nasdaq: HZNP) today announced that multiple studies demonstrating the extensive burden of uncontrolled gout and its impact on patients will be presented at the 2018 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ACR/ARHP) Annual Meeting, Oct. 19-24, in Chicago. In addition to the data presentations, Horizon will host an academic lecture facilitated by prominent researchers on scientific advancements in the understanding of gout today at 1:30 p.m. CT at an ACR innovation theater.

Gout is a chronic, progressive inflammatory form of arthritis that is caused by excess uric acid in the body, and needs to be managed aggressively.¹ If uric acid levels in the blood remain elevated, thin rod-like crystals can form and deposit in the joints, which can lead to severe pain, tenderness, stiffness, swelling and joint damage. In addition to the joint damage, urate crystals can also deposit in other organs of the body,² and if left unmanaged, gout can lead to significant tissue damage.³ Uncontrolled gout occurs when people living with gout continue to have high levels of uric acid and gout symptoms despite the use of standard oral urate-lowering therapies.

“People with uncontrolled gout who fail to reach serum uric acid level goals do worse in terms of clinical outcomes, including resolution of visible tophi,” said Jeffrey Kent, M.D., senior vice president, medical affairs and outcomes research, Horizon Pharma plc. “The current prevalence of gout remains substantial, and the studies presented at ACR speak to the lack of sufficient aggressive disease management. Through ongoing studies and the advancement of next-generation candidates, we continue to progress both the understanding of the long-term consequences of inadequate gout management and newer approaches to therapy.”

Data presented across multiple abstracts will provide insights on the broad burden of gout:

• ACR Abstract 1149: Contemporary Prevalence of Gout and Hyperuricemia in the United States (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] 2015-2016) and Decadal Trends (NHANES 2007-2016)
• ACR Abstract 2236: Contemporary Comorbidity Burden of Gout and Hyperuricemia in the US during the Past Decade (National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] 2007-2016)
• ACR Abstract 2237: Prevalence of Urate-Lowering Therapy Use and Target Urate Level Achievement Among Gout Patients in the United States (National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] 2007-2014)
• ACR Abstract 2249: Not Just a Swollen Big Toe: Increasing All-Cause Hospitalizations in Patients with Gout in the United States: 1993–2014
• ACR Abstract 2255: Increased Cost Burden in an Early Diagnosed Cohort of Uncontrolled Versus Controlled Gout: Analysis of a Large US Payer Database

Prominent researchers, professor Georg Schett, M.D. and professor Nicola Dalbeth, M.D., will discuss the extensive burden of uncontrolled gout during a discussion of how understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease has changed and, how gout is viewed and treated by clinicians.

“We must shift how we think of gout and the nature of uncontrolled gout,” said professor Nicola Dalbeth, MBChB, M.D., FRACP. “The presence of tophi – even if small – can disrupt the body’s normal bone-remodeling process, leading to erosion and, in some cases, severe joint damage. The serious complications of gout lend urgency to the importance of aggressive treatment in decreasing serum uric acid levels low enough to actually dissolve the urate crystals.”

Additional information about this breakthrough research on gout can be found at www.evolutionofgout.com.

About Horizon Pharma plc

Horizon Pharma plc is focused on researching, developing and commercializing innovative medicines that address unmet treatment needs for rare and rheumatic diseases. By fostering a growing pipeline of medicines in development and exploring all potential uses for currently marketed medicines, we strive to make a powerful difference for patients, their caregivers and physicians. For us, it’s personal: by living up to our own potential, we are helping others live up to theirs. For more information, please visit www.horizonpharma.com, follow us @HZNPplc on Twitter, like us on Facebook or explore career opportunities on LinkedIn.

¹ Keuhn, B. Chronic Disease Approaches Needed to Curb Gout’s Growing Burden. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2018; 319(13):1308-1309.
² Park J, Roudier M, Soman D, Mokada N, Simin P. Prevalence of birefringent crystals in cardiac and prostatic tissues, an observational study. BJM Open. 2014; 4:e005308. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005308
³Edwards NL. Treatment-failure gout: a moving target. Arthritis Rheum. 2008;58(9):2587-2590.

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Source: Horizon Pharma plc

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