Tablet helps hard-to-treat gout patients in mid-stage trial

Singaporean biotech Shanton Pharma has reported positive top-line results from a Phase IIb clinical trial of its investigational gout therapy SAP-001 in patients that do not respond to existing treatments.

The six-month study showed that nearly all patients who received a daily dose of SAP-001 at 30mg or 60mg alongside conventional therapies met the treatment goal of reducing serum uric acid levels below 6mg/dL by the end of month three. This compares to around 10% of patients on conventional therapy alone.

Shanton said the urate-lowering effects persisted through to the end of treatment and were supported by a favorable safety profile. The company emphasized that this is the first time an oral treatment has demonstrated such results in this population, which typically requires intravenous uricase therapy.