New Diet Drug On the Horizon - FDA Approval Pending

Orlistat, trade-named Xenical, is an experimental diet drug being considered by the Food and Drug Administration for both weight loss and maintenance in obese patients. This is the first obesity drug that is non-systemic, meaning it doesn't affect the entire body. Rather than suppressing appetite by altering brain chemicals, Xenical works by blocking fat absorption in the intestine. It keeps about 30 percent of the fat a person consumes from being digested, thus reducing the number of calories a person ingests as well. Patients taking Xenical in a two-year study lost an average of 10 percent of their body weight in a year, compared to only 3 percent lost by those taking a placebo.

There are some unpleasant side effects, however. If people taking the drug eat too much fat, they may suffer from diarrhea, cramping, and oily spotting. Xenical can also interfere with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and beta carotene. In clinical trials, Xenical was deemed safe and effective by an advisory panel to the FDA. Typically, the FDA follows advisors' recommendations but the decision is being carefully considered because of some concern over a possible link to breast cancer among patients taking the drug.

With 55 percent of the American population falling into the obese category, the availability of Xenical could offer a solution to the battle of the bulge for a nation obsessed with weight loss.

(Source: The Washington Post - Health Supplement, January 5, 1999)