Combo Weight Loss Pill Fights Cravings and Appetite
An experimental obesity drug that combines the antidepressant bupropion and the addiction drug naltrexone reduces body weight by 5% or more after one year when combined with healthy diet and regular exercise, according to a new report published online in The Lancet.
If approved, the new drug may be the right choice for dieters who get waylaid by their food cravings because it taps into the brain’s craving and reward system in addition to curbing appetite. An FDA advisory panel is slated to review the drug, called Contrave, on Dec. 7. Manufacturer Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. funded the new study.
In the 56-week study, participants received a high dose of the combination pill, a low dose, or a placebo twice a day. They were also advised to eat a low-calorie diet and engage in regular exercise. Those who took the higher dose of the new pill lost 6.1% of their body weight, while those who received the lower dose shed 5% of their body weight. By contrast, those people in the placebo group lost 1.3% of their body weight.
Fully 34% of people who took the high dose of the drug lost at least 10% of their body weight, compared with 11% who received the place
