[THE INVESTOR] JW Pharmaceutical said on Nov. 16 it has received approval to initiate phase 2b clinical trials of URC102, its drug candidate to treat gout, from Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The investigational therapy is designed to stimulate uric acid excretion for patients with the disease, a painful form of arthritis which occurs when the level of the acid in the blood is high. 

According to the company, the therapy showed positive data from phase 2a clinical trials evaluating its efficacy and lowering the level of uric acid in 140 patients.

“Although more than 90 percent of gout patients suffer from the disease due to problem with uric acid excretion, the existing therapies that help control the factor have not been prescribed because of safety concerns,” an official at the firm said.

The company plans to bring the therapy to overseas market while pursuing a late-stage clinical study to address high unmet medical needs for effective drugs, it added.

According to Korea’s National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients with gout has increased 40.6 percent in five years to 372,700 in 2016 from 265,000 in 2012.

The global gout therapy market is expected to reach some 3 trillion won (US$2.65 billion) in 2018.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)