Shanghai-based Hinova Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SHA: 688302) has announced that it has received approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to commence a clinical study for its investigational drug HP501 in combination with febuxostat for the treatment of primary gout with hyperuricemia. This marks a significant step forward in addressing the large unmet need in the treatment of gout, a condition that affects a significant proportion of the adult population in China.
HP501 is a small-molecule urate anion transporter 1 (URAT1) inhibitor that has demonstrated the potential to promote uric acid excretion and reduce blood uric acid levels. By inhibiting the activity of URAT1 and reducing the reabsorption of urate salts, HP501 targets a key pathway in the management of hyperuricemia. The combination with febuxostat, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (XOI) such as Pfizer’s Inlyta, is expected to have a synergistic effect. XOIs act by inhibiting the conversion of hypoxanthine and xanthine to uric acid, thereby reducing the production of uric acid in the body.
The “Gout Diagnosis and Treatment Standards (2023)” highlight the prevalence of hyperuricemia among adult residents in China, which stands at 14.0%, affecting approximately 196 million people. The incidence of gout is about 1%-3%, or 14-42 million people, indicating a substantial clinical demand for effective treatments in this area.
Hinova Pharmaceuticals’ initiative to develop HP501 underscores the company’s commitment to innovation in the field of metabolic diseases and its potential to provide a novel therapy for the treatment of gout and hyperuricemia.- Flcube.com
