Arena and Qnexa Get Good News
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In a continued trend in which the FDA seems to be working toward rapprochement with the previously beleaguered obesity drug industry, this week the agency has in one case asked Qnexa manufacturer Vivus on Monday to remove the contraindication for use of the drug in women of child-bearing potential (although keep in place the contraindication for women actually pregnant), a move that increases the potential obesity drug patient population and the aura of “safety” surrounding Qnexa.
In a continued trend in which the FDA seems to be working toward rapprochement with the previously beleaguered obesity drug industry, this week the agency has in one case asked Qnexa manufacturer Vivus on Monday to remove the contraindication for use of the drug in women of child-bearing potential (although keep in place the contraindication for women actually pregnant), a move that increases the potential obesity drug patient population and the aura of “safety” surrounding Qnexa.
In another case, the FDA notified Arena Pharmaceuticals that it has accepted the resubmitted drug application for the company’s obesity drug, Lorcaserin.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120110-706510.html
Needless to say, both Vivus’ and Arena’s stock price took sharp jumps on the news.
The aggregate worldwide market for obesity drugs could reach $1.8 billion by 2019 if drug approvals happen as forecast for these and other obesity drugs. (See “Products, Technologies and Markets Worldwide for the Clinical Management of Obesity, 2011-2019“.
