Health News
New Anti-Obesity Drug
February 16, 2006
A new anti-obesity drug is said to work by turning off certain brain circuits. These brain circuits are the same as those that are triggered by marijuana to generate an increased appetite known as the "munchies." This new investigational drug -- Sanofi-Aventis SA's Acomplia, or Rimonabant -- is still being studied for long-term effects.
Currently the drug is pending approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In addition to a lack of information on the drugs long-term effects, the trial was limited by a high dropout rate. Rimonabant is the first of a new class of drugs and it has been speculated that this drug could be the first blockbuster anti-obesity medicine.