Originally published in Club Business International, October 2012
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first new prescription weight-loss drug in 13 years. The medication, lorcaserin, developed by Arena Pharmaceuticals, based in San Fransisco, will be sold under the name Belviq.
The drug works by activating the brain receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin, which, by producing feelings of satiety and satisfaction, helps control appetite.
To date, its effect on weight loss has been moderate. In two clinical trials, participants who took Belviq lost an average of 5.8% of their weight, while individuals in a control group taking a placebo lost 2.5%. It appears, however that some people may have more success with the drug than others; some 23% of the individuals who took Belviq lost at least 10% of their weight.
Despite the FDA approval, the drug’s cost and date of introduction have yet to be determined. There are also some safety concerns about Belviq, since it works in a manner similar to that of another drug, fenfluramine, which was withdrawn from the market in 1997 after it was discovered to damage heart valves. Arena has agreed to conduct six studies after the drug is introduced, including one that will examine whether it increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.