First weight loss medication to win FDA approval in 13 years…..

Last month the FDA’s Endicrinologic and Metabolic Drug Advisory Committee approved Arena Pharmaceutical’s new weight loss drug Belviq(lorcaserin) in an 18-4 vote.

 Lorcaserin, which will be marketed under the trade marked name Belviq, is a weight loss medication developed to battle obesity. It acts as an appetite suppressant which is essentially effective by causing patients to feel less hunger sensations. Ultimately the body ingests less food and thus less calories, resulting in weight reduction. The drug has been approved for patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30 or for those with a BMI of at least 27 suffering from additional conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Belviq/Lorcaserin is the first drug of its kind to gain approval in 13 years, potentially paving the way for a handful of others, which may or may not be targeted at certain factions of the obese population. Considering the obesity rate of the U.S. alone, a prescription weight loss supplement such as this could potentially become a sensation. Arena Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Belviq/Lorcaserin, and its investors are expecting significant profits, especially upon approval with the European Union.