Recently, Deputy Director Huang Haowen from the Department of General Internal Medicine at Guangzhou Royal Lee Hospital successfully issued a prescription for Youlesi® (generic name: Dotinurad) to a gout patient. This makes our hospital one of the first in China to apply this new urate-lowering agent in clinical practice, demonstrating the strong capability of our Pharmacy Department in rapidly introducing cutting-edge drugs to ensure that patients "have access to and can optimally benefit from new medicines."

△Deputy Director Huang Haowen issuing the prescription for the patient

Hyperuricemia and Gout: The "Fourth High" That Cannot Be Ignored

In China, hyperuricemia has become the "Fourth High" following the "Three Highs" (hypertension, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia), and is particularly prominent among young men. Gout patients also face multiple dilemmas with traditional drugs: some patients have restricted medication options due to liver or kidney function concerns; long-term use carries safety risks such as hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity; the overall rate of achieving target blood uric acid levels is low, leading to unsatisfactory disease control. Therefore, there is an urgent clinical need for more effective and safer uric acid-lowering drugs.

New Drug Analysis: Why Is Dotinurad Gaining Attention?
Dotinurad is a new selective urate reabsorption inhibitor. It works by precisely inhibiting specific transporters in the kidneys responsible for uric acid reabsorption, thereby promoting uric acid excretion through urine and effectively reducing blood uric acid levels.
・Potent uric acid-lowering effect with high target achievement rate:
In a Phase III clinical study in China, after 24 weeks of treatment with 4mg Dotinurad, the rate of patients achieving the target blood uric acid level (≤360μmol/L) reached 73.6%, significantly higher than the control group's 38.1%¹.
・Superior liver and kidney safety:
Clinical data show that while providing a potent uric acid-lowering effect, Dotinurad carries a low risk of hepatotoxicity and has no impact on glomerular filtration rate, offering a safer treatment alternative for gout patients with comorbid liver or kidney insufficiency¹.

Taking New Drugs as a Blade · Forging Ahead for Life

Guangzhou Royal Lee Hospital is consistently committed to providing patients with higher-quality and more advanced diagnostic and treatment services. The Pharmacy Department actively maintains close collaboration with domestic and international pharmaceutical companies, establishing a rapid new drug introduction channel to ensure that various innovative medications arrive at our hospital pharmacy at the earliest opportunity after approval. This enables patients to benefit from the latest medical advancements without prolonged waiting.

References
1.Sun J, et al. Efficacy and safety of dotinurad versus febuxostat for the treatment of gout: a randomised, multicentre, double-blind, phase 3 trial in China[J]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2025 May 26. doi: 10.1002/art.43261.

Important Notice
This article is intended for academic reference by healthcare professionals only and does not constitute medical advice. Treatment decisions, including the suitability of Youlesi® (Dotinurad Tablets) for any individual, must be made by a physician following a comprehensive assessment. Do not purchase or change medications on your own.