AstraZeneca sells US rights to gout drug Zurampic to Ironwood Pharmaceuticals

US-based Ironwood Pharmaceuticals will pay AstraZeneca up to $265m for US rights to the drug, even though the UK firm will continue to manufacture Zurampic and provide other support and services.

The licensing agreement includes exclusive US rights to a fixed dose combination of lesinurad and allopurinol, which AstraZeneca intends to submit for regulatory approval in the second half of this year.

In December 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration approved lesinurad 200mg tablets as Zurampic for use in combination with a xanthine oxidase inhibitor (XOI) to treat hyperuricemia associated with uncontrolled gout.

AstraZeneca executive vice president of global product and portfolio strategy Luke Miels said: "Our new agreement with Ironwood will ensure the successful launch of Zurampic in the US, while allowing us to concentrate our resources on the innovative medicines in our main therapy areas."

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals chief commercial officer Tom McCourt said: "This transaction enables Ironwood to leverage our strong commercial capabilities to advance a durable franchise of innovative medicines addressing a significant unmet need in which patients are highly motivated and seeking relief."

AstraZeneca’s subsidiary Ardea Biosciences leads the development of the company’s gout portfolio.

The transaction does not include the transfer of any AstraZeneca or Ardea employees and facilities.

AstraZeneca retains the rights to the remaining Ardea portfolio, including RDEA3170, a Phase IIb ready, potent selective uric acid reabsorption inhibitor.

Ironwood will have several rights to potentially access RDEA3170 in gout indications in the US.

The licensing deal is anticipated to close in the second quarter of this year, subject to antitrust approval in the US.

Image: Ironwood Pharmaceuticals will pay AstraZeneca up to $265m for US rights to Zurampic. Photo: courtesy of AstraZeneca.