New Zealand evaluating weight-loss drug

Health authorities are evaluating a new weight-loss drug hailed as a potential breakthrough in treating obesity.

The application to market the drug rimonabant in New Zealand comes as the pill becomes available on prescription in Britain.

Clinical trials have shown that 40 per cent of overweight or obese people who take rimonabant lose 10 per cent of their body weight.

The drug, sold under the trade name Acomplia, controls appetite by blocking activity in a part of the brain that regulates the body's energy balance and ability to break down sugars and fats in the blood.

Studies have found that it reduces levels of harmful fatty deposits around internal organs that can cause diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Dr Stewart Jessamine, from medicines regulator Medsafe, said it received an application to market the drug here earlier this month.

Medsafe is currently evaluating the drug, which will be considered by the Medicines Assessment Advisory Committee once evaluation is completed.

"We are unable to give a date as to when that will occur as it is dependant on the quality of the application, the volume of data submitted and the number of other applications under consideration."

Experts at the drug's launch in London yesterday said that around 20 per cent of the population had elevated risks of heart and circulatory disease, the biggest killer, and that those unable to lose weight through changes in their way of life would be offered the drug.

It cost £55 ($168) per patient per month.

But most patients will be unable to obtain the drug on the British public health service until it is approved by the body which decides which treatments are cost-effective for primary care trusts.

Rimonabant has been given a licence to be taken alongside changes in diet and exercise for those with a BMI of 30 or more and those with a BMI of more than 27 and at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, not enough "good" cholesterol or too much "bad" cholesterol.

The drug has been hailed as a breakthrough in treating obesity by some in the medical fraternity overseas on the basis of interim study results.