The latest weight loss drug approved by the U.S. FDA, Saxenda for weight loss, is generating a lot of interest among patients, doctors, and even among the investors – is this the game changer drug for weight loss?

On December 23rd, 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Saxenda (liraglutide [rDNA origin] injection) for weight loss – the 2nd drug to be approved this year after Orexigen’s Contrave (Bupropion and Naltrexone) was approved just a few months ago.

FDA finally waking up to the epidemic of obesity!

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After a long gap of 13 years, FDA started approving new weight loss drugs since mid 2012 when it approved Qsymia and Belviq! And since then, approved 2 more drugs in 2014 – Contrave and Saxenda for help lose weight.

Approved for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (obesity) or adults with a BMI of 27 or greater (overweight) who have at least one weight-related condition such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol, Saxenda has the same active ingredient liraglutide as the popular diabetes drug Victoza.

Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that works more on the real issue that causes weight gain, unlike the traditional stimulant based weight loss medications!

In a study with 4,800 obese and overweight patients with and without significant weight-related conditions that received Saxenda with counseling regarding diet showed that patients had an average weight loss of 4.5 percent from baseline compared to treatment with a placebo (inactive pill) at one year. In this trial, 62 percent of patients treated with Saxenda lost at least 5 percent of their body weight compared with 34 percent of patients treated with placebo.

Results from another study in patients with type 2 diabetes showed that patients had an average weight loss of 3.7 percent from baseline compared to treatment with placebo at one year. In this trial, 49 percent of patients treated with Saxenda lost at least 5 percent of their body weight compared with 16 percent of patients treated with placebo.

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Patients using Saxenda should be evaluated after 16 weeks to determine if the treatment is working. If a patient has not lost at least 4 percent of baseline body weight, Saxenda should be discontinued, as it is unlikely that the patient will achieve and sustain clinically meaningful weight loss with continued treatment.

Saxenda is manufactured by Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark and is distributed by Novo Nordisk, Inc. Plainsboro, New Jersey.

While concerns remain about potential side effects including rare thyroid rumors, pancreatitis etc, the lower strength of the same drug has been very popular as Victoza for patients with diabetes and long been used by physicians off label for weight loss!

W8MD Medical Weight Loss Centers offers Saxenda for weight loss for eligible patients!

Also see
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-09/more-obesity-drugs-seek-to-enter-still-struggling-market.html

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