Pfizer, Bayer Partner on Fat Modifier Obesity Drugs

Pfizer is buying exclusive worldwide rights to an experimental class of Bayer obesity drugs. "Obesity and diabetes are expanding hand-in-hand at near epidemic levels throughout the world. The need for new treatment options for patients has never been greater," said Dr. Martin Mackay, head of Pfizer’s worldwide research and technology group. "We are excited about the potential of the DGAT-1 inhibitors in the areas of obesity and type 2 diabetes which complement Pfizer’s ongoing metabolic disease research programs," Mackay said.

The drugs, called DGAT-1 inhibitors, could potentially treat obesity, type 2 diabetes and related disorders by modifying fat metabolism. The lead drug in that class, BAY 74-4113, is currently in phase I trials, the earliest stage of human testing, which involve studying a drug’s safety and looking for an indication of efficacy in patients.
However, New York-based Pfizer’s could be pitting itself against Sanofi-Aventis’ obesity drug Acomplia, whose approval is anticipated later this year. But the FDA previously refused to approve the drug, saying the company needed to provide additional data before it could be approved. Accomplia is also being considered as a smoking-cessation treatment.

More competition comes from Arena Pharmaceuticals who is developing a drug called Lorcaserin, which supposedly works without the need for diet modification or exercise and avoids the cardiovascular side effects of notorious diet drug fen-phen, which was pulled from the market in 1997 because of safety concerns.

And Nastech Pharmaceutical is also developing a treatment for obesity which would be administered as a nasal spray, but concerns that the drug was ineffective caused Nastech’s Big Pharma partner Merck to pull out of the deal earlier this year. Nastech intends to keep working on the drug.

Americans will continue to look for the magic pill, rather then changing life styles.

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DID YOU KNOW:
ABNORMAL GLUCOSE METABOLISM MAY CONTRIBUTE TO CHRONIC NERVE DISORDER: Abnormal glucose metabolism, which occurs when the body has difficulty processing sugar (glucose) into energy, is twice as common among patients with chronic nerve dysfunction of unknown cause than among the general population and may be a risk factor for the condition, according to a study. Read the full news article at: https://www.diabetesincontrol.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3852