Obesity drug Lorqess (Eisai) shows positive trial results

A new study on the effects of Lorqess (lorcaserin), from Eisai, for the treatment of Obesity shows positive results. The study, titled BLOOM-DM, evaluated 604 obese and overweight participants with Type 2 Diabetes in a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial over a one-year treatment period. Although all participants received systematic lifestyle change counseling, those on the medication lost 4.5 � 5.0% of their initial bodyweight compared to a loss of 1.5% by patients on the inactive placebo. This is a meaningful difference in weight loss for this population, says Patrick M. O'Neil from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. The patients on active medication also showed much greater improvement on a key measure of blood glucose control. The drug was recently recommended for approval by an FDA advisory panel for the treatment of Obesity. See: "Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Lorcaserin for Weight Loss in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The BLOOM-DM Study" Patrick M. O'Neil et al. Obesity (2012); 20 7, 1426�1436.