A gout treatment called Ilaris has been showed to be effective in reducing patients’ pain and lessening the risk of new attacks, and has already filed for approval for use in the U.S., according to Novartis.
Ilaris contains a compound known as ACZ885 which has been shown in two different studies to provide better pain relief and reduce the risk of new attacks in patients with gouty arthritis by as much as 68 percent. The studies involved over 450 patients who either took Ilaris or an injectable steroid.
According to Novartis, the monoclonal antibody in Ilaris blocks an inflammatory protein called interleukin-1 beta. The drug has been filed for approval in the European Union, U.S., Canada and Switzerland. Though analysts say the sales potential may be limited given the patient group, the medicine could turn into a bestseller with the expansion of the drug’s use to other patients, potentially leading to $1 billion in sales.
"We are very excited about these results, which indicate that ACZ885 may become a significant new alternative for gouty arthritis patients," said David Epstein, head of the pharmaceuticals division at Novartis, as quoted by Fox News.
Gouty arthritis, or “gout,” affects about 1.4 percent of the population in the U.K. and 3.9 percent in the U.S.
