A Study of the Efficacy of Canakinumab in Prevention of Acute Flares in Chronic Gout Patients Initiating Allopurinol Therapy (Core Study) and a Long-term Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Canakinumab in Patients With Gout (Extension Study)

Core study Inclusion Criteria: * Signed written informed consent before any study procedure is performed. * History of at least 2 gout flares in the year prior to Screening (Visit 1, based on patient history), thus, candidates for initiating uric acid lowering therapy. * Confirmed diagnosis of gout meeting the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1977 preliminary criteria for the classification of arthritis of primary gout. * Body Mass Index (BMI) ≤ 40 kg/m\^2. * Willingness to initiate allopurinol therapy as urate lowering agent for their gout therapy or having initiated allopurinol therapy within ≤ 1 month before Screening (Visit 1) or willing to re-initiate allopurinol therapy if this was stopped \> 2 months before Screening (Visit 1) for reasons different to toxicity/ intolerance or lack of efficacy. Exclusion Criteria: * Acute gout flare within 2 weeks of Screening (Visit 1) and during the Screening period. * History of allergy or contraindication to colchicine or allopurinol. * History of intolerance to allopurinol or to oral colchicine in appropriate dose for prophylactic use. * History of bone marrow suppression. * Absolute or relative contraindication to both naproxen and oral prednisolone/ prednisone. Extension study Inclusion criteria: * Patients who completed the core study. A patient is defined as completing the core study if he/she completed the study up to and including the last visit (Visit 9). * Patients who have signed a written informed consent bef…