A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 3.0 mg of Liraglutide in Weight Management

Pharmacotherapy for the management of obesity

In the last 30 years, obesity has rapidly increased and obesity-related comorbidities have surged. Once considered to be a problem only in developed nations, obesity has become a global epidemic. Consequently, the costs associated with managing overweight and obesity worldwide are astronomical. The objective of this mini-review is to provide an overview of current options available for obesity management, with a focus on anti-obesity pharmacotherapies. The impact of weight loss on improving obesity-related comorbidities and risk factors has been well documented. Although established clinical guidelines suggest comprehensive lifestyle modification to induce weight loss, many patients do not respond to lifestyle interventions and may not qualify for bariatric surgery. For these patients, pharmacotherapy may serve as a therapeutic option. Several anti-obesity pharmacotherapies, such as phentermine, are indicated for short-term use and are not required to demonstrate clinically meaningful weight loss (i.e., ≥5%). For long-term weight management, the FDA has approved 5 agents so far-orlistat, lorcaserin, phentermine/topiramate, naltrexone/bupropion, and liraglutide. These drugs have shown efficacy in enabling patients to achieve clinically meaningful weight loss and improving cardiometabolic parameters. Healthcare practitioners can help alleviate the obesity epidemic by tailoring these pharmacotherapies based on individual needs, comorbidities, and associated drug safety concerns.

Current Perspectives on Long-term Obesity Pharmacotherapy

Approximately 1 in 4 adult Canadians are obese and, thus, are at an elevated risk for developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Current treatment guidelines recommend that obese individuals lose 5% to 10% of their starting weights to minimize the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and reduce the risk for developing type 2 diabetes or hypertension. All obesity-management strategies involve lifestyle management, but few patients will lose a significant amount of weight and manage to keep it off over the long term using just this strategy. Bariatric surgery is associated with significant long-term weight loss but is restricted to subjects with very high body mass indices, who often wait many years to undergo the procedure. Recent breakthroughs in understanding the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of elevated body fat have led to the arrival of new obesity pharmacotherapies. These novel antiobesity therapies, which work by reducing energy intake or through increasing satiety, decreasing hunger, or reducing absorption of calories, may be used indefinitely once patients have demonstrated significant responses (usually defined as ≥5% weight loss) over the first 12 weeks of treatment. To date, 2 long-term obesity pharmacotherapies have been approved and are available in Canada: liraglutide and orlistat. Here, I summarize the mechanisms and clinical features of medications for long-term obesity management that are available in Canada, as well as those available in other jurisdictions or are currently in development.

Lorcaserin Hcl for the treatment of obesity

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is a major health priority necessitating safe and effective strategies to address the obesity epidemic. Lorcaserin is a serotonergic agonist specific to the 5HT- 2C receptor approved for chronic management of obesity in patients with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2) or a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m(2) with comorbidities related to obesity.

AREAS COVERED

In this paper, the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of lorcaserin are reviewed followed by a discussion of efficacy and safety data from major clinical trials.

EXPERT OPINION

Lorcaserin is a unique highly selective serotonergic agonist designed to mitigate the risks associated with previous agents in this class. At therapeutic doses, it is well tolerated and produces modest but clinically meaningful weight loss with significant improvement in cardiometabolic parameters. Therapeutic efficacy should be assessed at 12 weeks (≥ 5% weight loss) to identify responders who will derive maximum weight loss and metabolic benefit from long-term therapy. The results of the ongoing cardiovascular outcomes trial (CAMELLIA TIMI 61) will determine the role of lorcaserin in primary prevention of diabetes in overweight/obese individuals and its use in the high-risk population of patients with established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors.

Obesity Education Strategies for Cancer Prevention in Women's Health

Obesity is the cause of up to one-third of all cancers affecting women today, most notably endometrial, colon and breast cancer. Women's health providers are poised to advise women on obesity's link to cancer development, but often lack resources or training to provide appropriate counseling. Here, we review obesity's role in increasing the risk of several common reproductive system conditions faced by women, including polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, gynecologic surgical complications, and pregnancy complications. These events can be used as teachable moments to help frame the discussion of weight management and promote cancer prevention. We also review national guidelines and existing tangible weight-loss strategies that can be employed within the outpatient women's health setting to help women achieve weight loss goals and affect cancer prevention.

Obesity medications: what does the future look like?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Lifestyle modification remains the mainstay of treatment for obesity despite the lack of substantial long-term efficacy. For many who do not respond to lifestyle therapy and are not candidates for weight loss surgery, pharmacotherapy is a viable treatment option. Advances in understanding mechanisms of appetite control, nutrient sensing, and energy expenditure have not only helped shape current drug development but have also changed the way in which antiobesity medications are prescribed. Current antiobesity medications and pharmacological strategies will be reviewed.

RECENT FINDINGS

Two new antiobesity drugs - naltrexone/bupropion (Contrave) and liraglutide (Saxenda) - were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2014 and join four other approved obesity medications, including phentermine/topiramate XR (Qsymia) and lorcaserin (Belviq), to form the largest number of medications available for the treatment of obesity. In addition, investigational drugs, like belnoranib, show promise in early clinical trials, brightening the outlook on drug development.

SUMMARY

To combat the complex physiological system of energy regulation and the known variation of treatment response, combinatory therapies for obesity, including pharmacotherapy, are needed. Now six US Food and Drug Administration-approved antiobesity medications, including two combination medications, will allow providers to tailor obesity treatment in combination with lifestyle modification for a great number of individuals with obesity.

Neurotransmitters and Neuropeptides: New Players in the Control of Islet of Langerhans' Cell Mass and Function

Islets of Langerhans control whole body glucose homeostasis, as they respond, releasing hormones, to changes in nutrient concentrations in the blood stream. The regulation of hormone secretion has been the focus of attention for a long time because it is related to many metabolic disorders, including diabetes mellitus. Endocrine cells of the islet use a sophisticate system of endocrine, paracrine and autocrine signals to synchronize their activities. These signals provide a fast and accurate control not only for hormone release but also for cell differentiation and survival, key aspects in islet physiology and pathology. Among the different categories of paracrine/autocrine signals, this review highlights the role of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. In a manner similar to neurons, endocrine cells synthesize, accumulate, release neurotransmitters in the islet milieu, and possess receptors able to decode these signals. In this review, we provide a comprehensive description of neurotransmitter/neuropetide signaling pathways present within the islet. Then, we focus on evidence supporting the concept that neurotransmitters/neuropeptides and their receptors are interesting new targets to preserve β-cell function and mass. A greater understanding of how this network of signals works in physiological and pathological conditions would advance our knowledge of islet biology and physiology and uncover potentially new areas of pharmacological intervention. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 756-767, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.