Lorcaserin Receives Positive Vote From FDA Advisory Committee

In continuation of my update on Lorcaserin

Lorcaserin Receives Positive Vote From FDA Advisory Committee:  

(FDA) Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 18 to 4, with one abstention, that the available data demonstrate that the potential benefits of lorcaserin outweigh the potential risks when used long-term in a population of overweight and obese individuals. Lorcaserin is an investigational drug candidate intended for weight management, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss, in patients who are obese (BMI greater than or equal to 30) or patients who are overweight (BMI greater than or equal to 27) and have at least one weight-related co-morbid condition.

"The advisory committee's positive vote supports our belief in lorcaserin as a potential new treatment option for the medical management of overweight and obesity," said Jack Lief, Arena's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We will continue to work with the FDA as the agency completes its review of the lorcaserin new drug application."

Mechanism of action

Lorcaserin is a selective 5-HT_2C receptor agonist,and in vitro testing of the drug showed reasonable selectivity for 5-HT_2C over other related targets, 5-HT_2C receptors are located almost exclusively in the brain, and can be found in the choroid plexus, cortex,hippocampus, cerebellum, amygdala, thalamus, and hypothalamus. The activation of 5-HT_2C receptors in the hypothalamus is supposed to activate proopiomelanocortin (POMC) production and consequently promote weight loss through satiety.  This hypothesis is supported by clinical trials and other studies. While it is generally thought that 5-HT_2C receptors help to regulate appetite as well as mood, and endocrine secretion,  the exact mechanism of appetite regulation is not yet known. Lorcaserin has shown 100:1 affinity for 5-HT_2C versus other receptors.