Acomplia : A dual cure
for weight loss & type 2 diabetes
02 February, 2007
Weight gain could be a result of a current
group of medications which are generally prescribed to cure
type 2 diabetes. Weight gain has been seen as a side effect
as a result of which weight
loss drugs are also prescribed to control weight, who
otherwise find it difficult with dietary measure alone.
Researchers have looked for drugs that could address both
problems regarding, a strong association between obesity and
increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes -- increases
in body weight lead to changes in blood lipid and cholesterol
levels, predisposing to increased risk of atherosclerosis
or clogging of the blood vessels.
Rimonabant is one of the most promising drugs
which have been developed recently, which has been found by
studies produce significant improvements in blood sugar while
promoting weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes.
Positive results
The drug is reported to be quite effective in significantly
improving blood sugar levels (50 percent versus 35 percent)
in participants with type 2
diabetes and who are not currently treated with any antidiabetic
medication in a particular trial.
The Serenade also reported benefits beyond improving blood
sugar levels including reducing weight and waist circumference,
and improving other cardio-metabolic risk factors such as
bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Dr. Alma Casareo, medical director of Sanofi-Aventis, the
pharmaceutical giant that discovered and developed rimonabant
stated that, "The management of type 2 diabetes should
not only focus on controlling blood sugar levels but also
in improving other risk factors such as weight, good and bad
cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. The results
shown in the Serenade is indeed very promising,"
First of its kind
Rimonabant is the first of its kind in the class of drugs
known as selective cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) blockers.
"The CB1 receptors are believed to play a role in controlling
food consumption and the phenomena of dependence and habituation.
Compounds with potential to inhibit the activity of this receptor
were then screened, in which rimonabant emerged as the most
promising," Casareo related.
She said the development of drugs that address type 2 diabetes
and obesity is very important considering that currently more
than 194 million adults or 5 percent of adults worldwide have
been diagnosed with diabetes, with type 2 diabetes constituting
85 percent to 95 percent of these diagnoses.
According to a report:
Casareo said, "Approximately 90 percent of type 2 diabetes
is attributed to people being overweight or obese and worldwide,
diabetes is among the leading causes of blindness, renal failure
and lower limb amputation, as well as death through its effects
on cardiovascular disease (70 to 80 percent of people with
diabetes die of cardiovascular disease),".
Rimonabant was approved as an adjunct to diet and exercise
for the treatment of obese patients or overweight patients
with associated risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes or dyslipidemia
in the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland,
Norway, Ireland, Austria and in Argentina, where it is known
as Acomplia.
The United States and Philippines are still to approve Rimonabant.
