AstraZeneca Records Reduced Serum Uric Acid Levels In Phase III Crystal Study

(RTTNews) - AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L) Saturday announced positive results for its phase III Crystal study of lesinurad, a selective uric acid re-absorption inhibitor in combination with xanthine oxidase inhibitor (XOI) febuxostat. The combination reduced the serum uric acid levels and reduced tophus area to a greater extent than febuxostat alone. It increases excretion and decreases production of uric acid. The goal the urate lowering treatment was to reduce serum uric acid levels to the recommended treatment targets.

In the trial, patients were administered febuxostat 80 mg orally once daily for 3 weeks before randomisation to the combination treatments. Further, the company said the lesinurad in combination with febuxostat did not result in a significant difference in the proportion of subjects achieving a complete resolution of at least one tophus by month 12. However, lesinurad combination treatment with both 200mg and 400mg did result in greater total tophus area reduction at month 12 compared to febuxostat alone.

Johan Hoegstedt, Global Medicines Leader for lesinurad said, "While no oral agent has demonstrated a beneficial effect on flares in 12-month randomized controlled clinical trials, this analysis showed that over time - as lower sUA levels were maintained - flares decrease and tophus area reduced."