Nuon Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today that a phase 2a study of NU1618, the company’s lead program, met its primary endpoint of reduction in serum uric acid (sUA) levels in patients with hyperuricemia. “This successful proof-of-principle study provides the basis to advance the NU1618 program rapidly,” said Lee Rauch, president and chief executive officer of Nuon Therapeutics. “We have initiated a phase 2b study in patients with gout and expect to start enrollment within the next few weeks…

A drug commonly used to treat gout may help maintain kidney disease patients’ health, according to an analysis appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The research is the first to show that allopurinol treatment in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) decreases inflammation, slows the progression of kidney disease, and reduces patients’ risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event or being hospitalized. Allopurinol is a drug used primarily to treat individuals with excess uric acid in their blood (hyperuricemia)…

WPRI: Rhode Island Governor, Donald Carcieri, continues to ask Attorney General Patrick Lynch to file a lawsuit against the federal health reform law. “But Lynch says he will not do it. In a statement, Lynch says he believes quality health care is a right for all citizens. He also says the law does not infringe on the rights of states” (Gouthro, 5/10). The San Francisco Chronicle: California state lawmakers are beginning the process of planning for health care reform implementation…

April 29, 2010. EnzymeRx, LLC, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced top line results from its first clinical trial of pegsitacase (formerly called Uricase PEG 20). Pegsitacase is a pegylated uricase being developed by EnzymeRx for the treatment of refractory gout and for the management of hyperuricemia associated with tumor lysis syndrome. This phase 1 trial assessed the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of single intravenous doses of pegsitacase in 20 subjects (study details available at ClinicalTrials.gov). Each cohort received a single pegsitacase dose of 0…

Ipsen (Paris:IPN) (Euronext: FR0010259150; IPN), a global biotechnology specialty care group and Menarini, the first Italian pharmaceutical Group in the world with a significant pan-European presence, announced the launch of ADENURIC® (febuxostat) in France where they will co-promote the drug. Other launches by Menarini are planned shortly, notably in United Kingdom, Germany and Ireland. Thierry Poiraud, MD, General Manager, Menarini France said: “We are proud to be the first country in Europe to launch this very promising drug with Ipsen…

PHILADELPHIA (MedPage Today) — A half-gallon of drinking water a day may keep gout attacks away, researchers said here.

Data presented at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology highlight effects of baseline characteristics on achievement of serum uric acid (sUA) levels to

Parkinson disease progresses more slowly in patients who have higher levels of urate, a chemical that at very high level is linked to gout, researchers have found. While it’s unknown whether the high levels actually somehow protect patients or simply serve as a marker of protection, the finding supports the idea that patients and doctors may one day be able to better predict the course of the illness……..

Parkinson disease progresses more slowly in patients who have higher levels of urate, a chemical that at very high level is associated with gout, scientists have found.

EnzymeRx, LLC a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Uricase-PEG 20, filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month, has become effective.