Novel Gout Drug Cuts Flare Rate in Half

PHILADELPHIA -- An investigational biologic drug for preventing gout flares showed substantial effectiveness in a Phase II trial, a researcher said here.

In a four-month randomized trial, 22% of gout patients treated with rilonacept, a protein drug designed to immobilize interleukin-1, experienced at least one disease attack, compared with 48% of a placebo group (P=0.02), according to Steven Weinstein, MD, PhD, of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, the company developing the drug.

In fact, none of the 41 patients receiving rilonacept in the trial had more than one gout flare, compared with 26% of those assigned to placebo (P<0.001), Weinstein said.