Three New Weight Loss Drugs on the Horizon

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will begin reviews this week on a several new weight loss drugs, bringing with it another round of hope for overweight and obese Americans. Trying to find an effective drug therapy for obesity has been more difficult that finding a needle in a haystack, but hope remains that a “magic pill” will pass all the required tests and make its way to market. Now there are three such chances, with three potential new drugs.

FDA guidelines suggest that any weight loss drug must reduce total body weight by at least 5 percent after one year to be called effective. The first drug up for review, Qnexa developed by Vivus Inc., has exceeded that minimum, with test subjects losing 13 percent and 15 percent of their body weight. Qnexa is a mixture of two existing drugs, an anticonvulsant (topiramate) and an amphetamine (phentermine). Topiramate has the effect of leaving the user fuller and more satisfied, while the phentermine curbs appetite. Unfortunately there are side effects with this drug—memory and concentration problems—which caused many to drop out of the study.

The second weight loss drug up for review, set for October, is Contrave by Orexigen Therapeutics Inc. Contrave is also a mixture of an anticonvulsant and an amphetamine but in different dosages. In studies it has shown weight loss between 5 percent and 10 percent, with side effects such as nausea.

The third candidate, lorcaserin from Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc., is a completely different animal. Set for review in December, this drug acts on serotonin, a brain chemical associated with feelings of well-being and satiation. Lorcaserin has less side effects that the previous two, but weight loss in studies only ranged between 5 and 10 percent, similar to Contrave but not as high as Qnexa.

Will one of these be the long-awaited “magic pill” or will they go the way of previous weight loss drugs who have faltered? We all remember fen-phen and resulting heart damage. More recently Acomplia was pulled for mental health-related issues, and Meridia with increased risk of heart damage. While it is likely that these drugs will pass muster, there will be lingering concerns over side effects that may not be known for several years.

If you are looking for a weight loss plan that does not include prescription weight loss medication, visit the HealthNews diet pages and test out our Individual Diet Selection tool, which can help find the right diet for you lifestyle.