AstraZeneca reports positive clinical trial data for gout drug

AstraZeneca has announced positive top-line results from three phase III clinical studies of lesinurad, an investigational agent for the treatment of gout.

Data from the CLEAR1 and CLEAR2 studies demonstrated that lesinurad, when used in combination with the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol, offered more effective treatment of symptomatic gout than allopurinol alone.

Meanwhile, results from the CRYSTAL trial assessed the drug in combination with febuxostat. Once again, the study met its primary efficacy endpoint, showing that a higher proportion of lesinurad patients reached their serum uric acid reduction targets than febuxostat alone.

The company is currently proceeding with preparation of regulatory submissions for lesinurad combination therapy, with this new data set to support its applications.

Briggs Morrison, executive vice-president for global medicines development and chief medical officer at AstraZeneca, said: "This data indicates that combination therapy with lesinurad may be a potential treatment option for gout patients."

According to a study published by AstraZeneca and Ardea BioSciences last year, fewer than half of the patients taking allopurinol achieve their target serum uric acid level. This shows there is an unmet need for new therapy options.