The decade that changed medicine

Fighting flab: obesity pills

The relentless rise of obesity has been one of the stories of the decade, and the drug company that finds a medical solution will reap unimaginable rewards.

More than two thirds of the adult population is overweight or obese, and for an increasing number the only way to lose weight is to pop a pill. The trouble is that most put the weight on again later. Almost one million prescriptions for obesity drugs, such as Reductil (sibutramine) and Xenical (orlistat), are being written every year; orlistat can now be obtained without a prescription. New drugs are constantly being developed.

Victoza (liraglutide), the newest kid on the block, looks like being a serious contender in the battle for domination of this market. It is the fourth drug to be licensed in recent years, though its licence only covers treatment for diabetes, not obesity. That could change after a trial last month showed that people taking it lost more than a stone in 20 weeks – three times as much as those given a placebo.

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