| Copyright (c) 2007 Luke Burgis | | | | produced as a patch or gum. Researchers hope to |
| Look good naked without stepping a foot in the gym. | | | | start phase one trials early next year and get the |
| That's the new American dream right? We are a | | | | drug on the market in three to five years. |
| nation obsessed with the eternal quest to look great | | | | Y2R blocker - Georgetown University Medical Center |
| with minimal to no effort. Whether you are just too | | | | researchers have been able to use nontoxic chemical |
| busy to make it to the gym everyday, or simply | | | | injections to add and remove fat from lab mice. To |
| need that little extra help with your own diet and | | | | add fat, researchers injected the neurotransmitter |
| workout routine, there is good news on the horizon | | | | NPY into the mice. It's believed that NPY is activated |
| for all of us, new drugs! These upcoming | | | | during stress, causing apple-shaped obesity and |
| pharmaceutical releases are gearing up to take the | | | | metabolic syndrome. But administration of the |
| fat loss market by storm over the next couple of | | | | receptor Y2R into the mice's abdominal fat |
| years so read up and get a head start on your beach | | | | prevented both results, melting the fat. Researchers |
| body competition. | | | | hope that blocking Y2R might work the same way in |
| Pramlintide - Already available in the U.S. as a diabetes | | | | humans. |
| treatment, Pramlintide is being studied by Amylin | | | | Rimonabant (Acomplia) - Approved for use in the |
| Pharmaceuticals for its ability to produce a feeling of | | | | European Union as an obesity treatment, rimonabant |
| fullness when eating and reduce weight. A synthetic | | | | selectively blocks the CB1 receptors of the |
| form of a satiety hormone, research has shown that | | | | endocannabinoid system. This system of receptors in |
| when it's injected into people's bodies before a meal | | | | the brain and body helps regulate food intake and |
| they eat less, even when given foods they crave. | | | | how the body uses and stores fats and sugars. In |
| Amylin is also looking at how the drug works in | | | | clinical trials, rimonabant has been shown to reduce |
| combination with other hormones. | | | | body weight, with side effects such as nausea and |
| CP404 - CP404 is a calcium channel blocker that | | | | anxiety. Sanofi-aventis withdrew its FDA new drug |
| works as a nasal spray to block olfactory activity, or | | | | application for rimonabant last month but is working |
| our sense of smell, and reduce food intake. Compellis | | | | toward resubmitting. |
| Pharmaceuticals is developing the drug, which has | | | | Suppressing Rip140 - Research has shown that |
| only been tested on mice so far, says Compellis CEO | | | | suppression of receptor-interacting protein 140 |
| Chris Adams. The company plans to begin human | | | | (Rip140), a nuclear hormone co-repressor that |
| testing this year. | | | | regulates fat accumulation, can accelerate fat burning |
| Orlistat (Xenical and alli) - A lipase inhibitor, Orlistat | | | | in animals and fat cells. Initially the subject of |
| promotes weight loss by preventing the digestion | | | | experiments at Imperial College in London, RXi |
| and absorption of some fat from food. Unabsorbed | | | | Pharmaceuticals is developing the approach as a |
| fat is then excreted via the stool. It's available by | | | | potential obesity or type-2 diabetes treatment. |
| prescription as Xenical and, since June, as alli, the only | | | | Cetilistat - Under development by Alizyme, Cetilistat is |
| FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss product. | | | | a gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor that blocks fat |
| Orlistat side effects may include gas with oily | | | | digestion and absorption, causing weight loss. Clinical |
| spotting and an urgent need to have a bowel | | | | trials have shown that the drug has fewer side |
| movement | | | | effects than Xenical, according to Alizyme. Cetilistat is |
| CLA - A new meta-analysis by University of | | | | currently being prepared for phase-three clinical |
| Wisconsin at Madison researchers has shown that | | | | development. |
| supplements containing conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), | | | | Meridia - An oral prescription medication, Meridia |
| on the market for years, may help people shed fat. | | | | works by affecting the appetite control center in the |
| It's believed that CLA, a fatty acid found in foods of | | | | brain. Most people who lose weight on the drug, in |
| animal origin such as beef, modifies enzymes | | | | combination with diet and exercise, do so in the first |
| responsible for storing and burning fat. Supplements | | | | six months of treatment, according to its maker, |
| are a good vehicle for CLA because it would be | | | | Abbott Laboratories. Common side effects include |
| difficult for people to get enough of the fatty acid | | | | headache, dry mouth, constipation and insomnia. |
| without loading up on saturated fat. | | | | So, have you scoped out the ones that sound like |
| PP - Researchers at the Imperial College, London, are | | | | the next big wonder drug? Well don't get too |
| looking at how gut hormones--pancreatic polypeptide | | | | excited, these need a little more time before they |
| (PP) in particular--affect appetite control. The | | | | are readily available to the public but keep your eyes |
| hormones are released when a person eats, acting as | | | | peeled for them over the next few years. And |
| neurotransmitters that tell the brain to stop eating. | | | | remember that being healthy is more than just a |
| Though it's being developed in the form of an | | | | weight game. Be active, be fit, be healthy, and you |
| injection, it's possible in the future that it could be | | | | will look good naked. The ultimate goal right? |