Zurampic gains FDA approval as combination gout treatment

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved AstraZeneca's drug Zurampic Dec. 22 as a combination treatment for gout.

Also known as lesinurad, Zurampic are tablets to be used with a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (XOI) to treat hyperuricemia in individuals with gout who aren't reaching recommended serum uric acid (sUA) levels with just an XOI.

Hyperuricemia, or elevated sUA, is the underlying cause of gout, a serious and debilitating form of inflammatory arthritis affecting millions around the world. If left untreated, the condition could become progressive and chronic.

Zurampic works by inhibiting the urate transporter responsible for renal reabsorption of uric aid, which lowers sUA by increasing uric acid excretion.

Three Phase III clinical trials found that patients with gout achieved target sUA levels when taking Zurampic along with an XOI, such as allopurinol or febuxostat.

“A new approach to treating gout is long overdue given there has been limited therapy innovation over the last 50 years," Gout and Uric Acid Education Society CEO and Chairman Lawrence Edwards said. "Combination therapy with ZURAMPIC is an important addition to the medicines available to physicians that will help more gout patients reach their serum uric acid treatment targets, which may ultimately relieve their suffering from this painful disease."