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FDA Approves Adakveo and Oxbryta for Sickle Cell Disease

1/2/2020

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Ronilee Shye, PharmD, BCGP, BCACP, CDE
Roni Shye, PharmD, BCGP, BCACP, CDE is a licensed pharmacist in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Posted on December 18, 2019

​According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 people in the U.S. It’s a genetic disease that is more common in Hispanic Americans and African Americans. In most cases, medications treat disease complications but not the condition itself.
That’s about to change. The FDA recently approved 2 medications to directly treat sickle cell disease and its complications. Adakveo and Oxbryta, both approved in November 2019, provide new treatments for those affected. 
What is sickle cell disease?
Sickle cell disease is a rare blood disorder in which red blood cells are shaped like a sickle (C-shaped) instead of round. Red blood cells play an important role by carrying oxygen throughout the body. The abnormal shape of cells in people with the disease causes the cells to die faster, and it makes it harder for them to deliver oxygen to body tissues.
Some of the most common symptoms of sickle cell disease include:

  • Pain
  • Infection
  • Tiredness
  • Fever
  • Yellowing of the skin

Additionally, sickle cell disease is often accompanied by complications like:

  • Bone pain
  • Chest pain
  • Swelling in the hands and feet
  • Coughing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Stroke 
  • Eye problems

What is Adakveo?
Adakveo treats a common and painful complication of sickle cell disease called vaso-occlusive crises, or pain crises. They are unpredictable and intense episodes of pain that can last 10 days or more. 
Adakveo is available as an intravenous infusion and is given once a month. The most common side effects include:

  • Nausea
  • Back pain
  • Joint pain
  • Fever
What is Oxbryta?
Oxbryta is the first medication to target the root cause of sickle cell disease. It works by preventing red blood cells from sticking together and turning into a sickle shape. It is available in 500 mg tablets and is taken once a day.
The most common side effects of Oxbryta include:

  • Headache
  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach pain
  • Nausea
  • Tiredness
  • Rash 
  • Fever

How much do they cost?
Both medications come with hefty price tags. The best Goodrx price for Adakveo is around $2,400 per vial (most people will need to take 3 to 4 vials per month). The best GoodRx price for Oxbryta is $3,500 for 30 tablets (most people take 3 tablets per day).

Ronilee Shye, PharmD, BCGP, BCACP, CDE
Roni Shye, PharmD, BCGP, BCACP, CDE is a licensed pharmacist in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Posted on December 18, 2019
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 people in the U.S. It’s a genetic disease that is more common in Hispanic Americans and African Americans. In most cases, medications treat disease complications but not the condition itself.
That’s about to change. The FDA recently approved 2 medications to directly treat sickle cell disease and its complications. Adakveo and Oxbryta, both approved in November 2019, provide new treatments for those affected. 
What is sickle cell disease?
Sickle cell disease is a rare blood disorder in which red blood cells are shaped like a sickle (C-shaped) instead of round. Red blood cells play an important role by carrying oxygen throughout the body. The abnormal shape of cells in people with the disease causes the cells to die faster, and it makes it harder for them to deliver oxygen to body tissues.
Some of the most common symptoms of sickle cell disease include:

  • Pain
  • Infection
  • Tiredness
  • Fever
  • Yellowing of the skin

Additionally, sickle cell disease is often accompanied by complications like:

  • Bone pain
  • Chest pain
  • Swelling in the hands and feet
  • Coughing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Stroke 
  • Eye problems

What is Adakveo?
Adakveo treats a common and painful complication of sickle cell disease called vaso-occlusive crises, or pain crises. They are unpredictable and intense episodes of pain that can last 10 days or more. 
Adakveo is available as an intravenous infusion and is given once a month. The most common side effects include:

  • Nausea
  • Back pain
  • Joint pain
  • Fever
What is Oxbryta?
Oxbryta is the first medication to target the root cause of sickle cell disease. It works by preventing red blood cells from sticking together and turning into a sickle shape. It is available in 500 mg tablets and is taken once a day.
The most common side effects of Oxbryta include:

  • Headache
  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach pain
  • Nausea
  • Tiredness
  • Rash 
  • Fever

How much do they cost?
Both medications come with hefty price tags. The best Goodrx price for Adakveo is around $2,400 per vial (most people will need to take 3 to 4 vials per month). The best GoodRx price for Oxbryta is $3,500 for 30 tablets (most people take 3 tablets per day).

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