Thousands of people who suffer gout could get relief with a new drug being developed in Wellington.
Many people are unable to use the drug most commonly taken for the arthritic condition, Allopurinol, because of its side effects.
Dr Richard Furneaux, from Industrial Research Limited's biotechnology division, says his team has been working in collaboration with scientists in New York for several years on developing a new medicine.
He says both Allopurinol and an alternative drug on the market work by targeting uric acid production, while his team's medicine targets a different area.
Dr Furneaux says it will be several years before the drug being developed is on the market.
