KirkLindstrom.com - Articles - 2012 Blog - Arena's Obesity Drug Belviq Approved by FDA.  How Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride) Works
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                Windsurfing at Palo Alto in SF Bay in May 2009 Arena's Belviq Approved by FDA for Obesity
  How does Belviq (or Lorcaserin) Work?  Is Belviq safe?
Kirk
                Windsurfing at Coyote Point November 2009
 

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June 27, 2012:   Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride), as an addition to a reduced-calorie diet and exercise, for chronic weight management. The FDA approved Belviq for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (obese), or adults with a BMI of 27 or greater (overweight) and who have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol (dyslipidemia).

Belviq is Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Ticker ARNA) new weight-loss drug. The stock soared on the news.
Chart for ARNA - Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

How does Belviq work?
The FDA says1:
Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride works by activating the serotonin 2C receptor in the brain. Activation of this receptor may help a person eat less and feel full after eating smaller amounts of food.
How effective is Belviq? The FDA says:
The safety and efficacy of Belviq were evaluated in three randomized, placebo-controlled trials that included nearly 8,000 obese and overweight patients, with and without type 2 diabetes, treated for 52 to 104 weeks. All participants received lifestyle modification that consisted of a reduced calorie diet and exercise counseling. Compared with placebo, treatment with Belviq for up to one year was associated with average weight loss ranging from 3 percent to 3.7 percent.

About 47 percent of patients without type 2 diabetes lost at least 5 percent of their body weight compared with about 23 percent of patients treated with placebo. In people with type 2 diabetes, about 38 percent of patients treated with Belviq and 16 percent treated with placebo lost at least 5 percent of their body weight. Belviq treatment was associated with favorable changes in glycemic control in those with type 2 diabetes. The approved labeling for Belviq recommends that the drug be discontinued in patients who fail to lose 5 percent of their body weight after 12 weeks of treatment, as these patients are unlikely to achieve clinically meaningful weight loss with continued treatment.
Is Belviq safe?  The FDA says:
Belviq should not be used during pregnancy. Treatment with Belviq may cause serious side effects, including serotonin syndrome, particularly when taken with certain medicines that increase serotonin levels or activate serotonin receptors. These include, but are not limited to, drugs commonly used to treat depression and migraine. Belviq may also cause disturbances in attention or memory.....

The most common side effects of Belviq in non-diabetic patients are headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, dry mouth, and constipation, and in diabetic patients are low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), headache, back pain, cough, and fatigue.

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Note 1.  Source: FDA Press Release "FDA approves Belviq to treat some overweight or obese adults"

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