Is Mitigare the Same as Colchicine?
Mitigare is a brand-name prescription capsule containing colchicine, the active ingredient used to prevent gout flares in adults.[1] It is the same drug in terms of chemical composition and therapeutic effect, but Mitigare is a specific FDA-approved formulation marketed by Hikma Pharmaceuticals.
How Does Mitigare Differ from Generic Colchicine?
Generic colchicine tablets are available from multiple manufacturers and come in strengths like 0.6 mg, often used for acute gout attacks or familial Mediterranean fever. Mitigare is only 0.6 mg capsules dosed at 1.2 mg initially then 0.6 mg once daily for prevention, with no generic equivalent for this exact branded capsule.[1] Both bind tubulin to disrupt microtubule formation, reducing inflammation from urate crystals.
Who Makes Mitigare and When Did It Launch?
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA launched Mitigare in 2014 after FDA approval, targeting chronic gout prevention.[1] It filled a market gap post-2009 when URL Pharma (now Takeda) gained sole rights to colchicine under Colcrys, pulling generics and repricing it from pennies to dollars per pill.
Are There Patent or Exclusivity Issues?
Mitigare has no active patents listed on DrugPatentWatch, with any prior exclusivity expired.[2] This allows competition, though its capsule form differentiates it from tablet generics.
What About Other Colchicine Brands Like Colcrys?
Colcrys (Takeda) is also colchicine 0.6 mg but approved for acute flares, prevention, and pericarditis, often dosed higher short-term.[1] Gloperba is an oral solution version. All share identical active ingredient, but differ in FDA indications, forms, and pricing—Mitigare averages $6-10 per capsule versus generics under $1.[3]
Common Patient Questions on Switching
Patients can switch from generic colchicine to Mitigare if preferring capsules or needing prevention-specific dosing, but bioavailability is equivalent.[1] No major interaction differences; all carry black-box warnings for fatal overdoses, myopathy with statins, and rhabdomyolysis risks.
[1]: FDA Label for Mitigare (Hikma Pharmaceuticals, 2023). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/204820s000lbl.pdf
[2]: DrugPatentWatch.com - Mitigare Patents. https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/p/tradename/MITIGARE
[3]: GoodRx Pricing Data (2024). https://www.goodrx.com/colchicine