Anti-Obesity Drugs a Hot Topic in the Biotech Industry

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire -05/14/12)- Biotech companies are looking to cash in on the anti-obesity drug market. The race to bring the first weight-loss pill to the market is heating up as Arena Pharmaceuticals weight-loss pill (Lorcaserin) recently gained the backing of an FDA advisory panel. The Paragon Report examines investing opportunities in the Biotech Industry and provides equity research on VIVUS, Inc. (VVUS) and Roche Holding Ltd. (RHHBY.PK).

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Arena is currently competing with Vivus and Orexigen Therapeutics to bring the first anti-obesity drug to the market in nearly 13 years. All three of the companies' drugs were previously turned down by the FDA. FDA advisers last week voted 18-4 that the benefits of Arena's Lorcaserin outweigh the health risks.

According to recent numbers from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention over 78 million adults in the U.S. are obese. Obesity significantly raises the risks for health problems such as diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. It is estimated that obesity costs the U.S. economy $147 billion a year in medicals costs and lost productivity.

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VIVUS, a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic products, recently reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012. For the quarter ended March 31, 2012, VIVUS had a net loss of $18.8 million compared to a loss of $9.9 million for the first quarter last year. The increase in net loss was primarily attributable to increased general and administrative expenses from spending on Qnexa pre-commercialization activities. The FDA is scheduled to decide on Vivus' Qnexa by July 17.

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche's Xenical was the last weight-loss drug approved by the FDA in 1999.

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Anti-Obesity Drugs a Hot Topic in the Biotech Industry