What is Acomplia?
* Acomplia (rimonabant) is the first in a new class of therapeutic
agents called Cannabinoid-1 Receptor Blockers (CB1).
* Acomplia is used in the treatment of obesity and related conditions.
How does Acomplia work?
* Acomplia acts by selectively blocking CB1 receptors found
in the brain and in peripheral organs important in glucose and
lipid (or fat) metabolism, including adipose tissue, the liver,
gastrointestinal tract and muscle1.
* Acomplia switches off the same brain circuits that make people
hungry when they smoke cannabis.
* CB1 receptor blockade with Acomplia acts to decrease the overactivity
of the endocannabinoid system (EC system)2,3. The EC system is
a recently characterised physiological system that includes receptors
such as the CB1 receptor and it has been shown to play an important
role in regulating body weight and in controlling energy balance,
as well as glucose and lipid (or fat) metabolism.
What is Acomplia used for?
* Acomplia is used complementary to diet and exercise to treat
obese or overweight patients who suffer from Type 2 diabetes and
abnormal levels of fat in the blood.
* Sanofi argues that Acomplia can also prevent the risk of cardiovascular
disease.
* Patients with large waist circumference (102 cm in men and 88
cm in women) will mostly benefit from taking the drug.
Acomplia in the UK and EU
Acomplia has been approved for use within the EU and was available
to patients in the UK from June 28th, 2006. The drug was approved
by NICE (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence)
on June 24th, 2008.
Acomplia is likely to only be available on the NHS to patients
who are clinically obese (they have a BMI in excess of 30) or
overweight (they have a BMI in excess of 27) and exhibiting other
clinical indications such as type II diabetes or an unsatisfactory
blood lipid profile.
In all cases where Acomplia is prescribed on the NHS, the patients
concerned must have already demonstrated that they have tried
diet and exercise to lose weight, and they must try to maintain
these efforts whilst taking the pill.
Acomplia in the US
Sanofi-Aventis applied for regulatory approval with the FDA in
the US back in April 2005. However, in February 2006, the FDA
stated that final approval would not be granted until some additional
issues were satisfactorily resolved. It was not stated what these
additional issues were. Given these delays, this drug is unlikely
to get approval in the US anytime soon.