Sanofi Obesity Drug Works for 2 Years, Some Snags

Reuters ^ | 03/08/2005 | Kim Dixon

[John Valentine]

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - Sanofi-Aventis SA's experimental obesity drug helped patients shed three times as much weight as those on a placebo, but patients gained some of that weight back in the second year, according to a study released on Tuesday.

The drug, called Acomplia, takes a novel approach by tinkering with the same biological switch in the brain that makes people hungry when they smoke marijuana, possibly by blocking cravings.

......

About 32 percent of the overweight and obese patients taking the drug in the trial lost a tenth of their body weight after two years. Eleven percent of patients on placebo were able to lose 10 percent of their body weight after two years.

"There is a slight weight regain if you analyze the data after two years," said Luc Van Gaal, professor at the University Hospital Antwerp and a lead investigator in the company-sponsored study.

....

At two years, patients on the drug lost an average 7.2 kilograms, or 15.8 pounds, compared with a loss of 2.5 kg, or 5.5 lbs, on placebo. At the one year mark, Acomplia patients had shed 8.6 kg, or 18.9 lbs, compared with a loss of 3.9 kg, or 8.6 lbs on placebo. So the difference between the placebo and Acomplia groups remained about the same.

Investors, however, were disappointed by the latest trial results, as Sanofi shares fell 2.3 percent in Paris to close at 62.80 euros on Tuesday.

[John Valentine]

If you look at the data, after one year on the drug there really is no further weight loss, merely not much rebound. It looks as though about a 10% weight loss is the best anyone is going to get from this drug.

This finding is not good news for Sanofi, and the market seems to agree.

[Dark Skies]

I lost 15% of my total body weight just worrying that John Kerry might become president of the U.S.

Who says there's not a silver lining?