Acomplia/Rimbonabant approved in Europe

[Guest guest]

The cannabinoid receptor antagonist rimonabant (brand name

Acomplia) has been approved in the US:

http://www.expresspharmaonline.com/20060731/market04.shtml

Acomplia promotes weight loss and also appears to improve

cardiovascular risk parameters (Cholesterol, BP, CRP) by more than the

weight loss alone. Hopes have been high that this will be a single-pill

answer to the " metabolic syndrome " .

Approval for Acomplia was turned down by the FDA early this year:

http://www.acompliareport.com/News/news-072706.htm

The FDA won't approved it until Sanofi provides more test

data. The FDA and Sanofi are tight-lipped about the reason for the

delay, but studies showed a 14% discontinuation rate -- depression and

anxiety were major causes. The FDA has always been pickier about psych

meds than european regulators, and the FDA has been under pressure about

SSRI side effects lately; the last thing they want is another suicide scandal.

A few years of experience in the EU should give interesting

information.

If you're the foolhardy kind of person who likes taking meds that

aren't approved in the US, Acomplia is already available on the grey

market at about $250 for a month's supply.