Sanofi-aventis launches obesity drug in UK
The European Commission has granted sanofi-aventis marketing authorisation for its obesity treatment Acomplia (rimonabant 20mg/day), which will be launched in the UK this July.
The European Commission has granted sanofi-aventis marketing authorisation for its obesity treatment Acomplia (rimonabant 20mg/day), which will be launched in the UK this July.
Acomplia is designed to improve multiple cardiometabolic risk factors in obese and overweight patients. It works by selectively blocking CB1 receptors, found in the brain and peripheral organs, that are believed to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, controlling body weight and energy balance.
"Until now we have not had a medication that addresses the multiple cardiometabolic risk factors that put patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes," said Luc Van Gaal, professor of diabetology, metabolism and clinical nutrition at Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium. "Rimonabant is an important advance to treat the multiple risk factors which contribute to the global risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which will offer benefits beyond current treatments for individual risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes," he said.
The drug is to be offered as an adjunct to diet and exercise for the treatment of obese patients with a body mass index above 30kg/m2 or overweight patients with a body mass index above 27kg/m2 with associated risk factors such as type 2 diabetes or dyslipidaemia.