Acomplia Wins Approval in Switzerland

Sanofi-aventis announced that Swissmedic, the Swiss agency for therapeutic products, has approved the company's weight-loss drug Acomplia.

In Switzerland, Acomplia will be indicated for use in combination with diet and exercise for overweight and obese patients — those with body mass indexes between 27 and 30 kg/m2 — with at least one associated cardiovascular risk factor and for whom diet and exercise alone are insufficient.

Last month French health authorities decided that Acomplia is reimbursable as an adjunct to diet and exercise for overweight and obese patients with Type 2 diabetes, which was similar to decisions previously made by Sweden, Denmark and Ireland. German regulators have decided to classify Acomplia as a non-reimbursable, or lifestyle, drug.

The research firm Decision Resources recently issued a report showing that sales of obesity agents will increase fivefold between 2005 and 2015, but that limited reimbursement for weight-loss drugs will continue to inhibit consumer uptake.

Acomplia is a selective cannabinoid-1 receptor antagonist and the first drug in this new therapeutic class, according to sanofi-aventis. The drug won approval in the European Union in June 2006. The application for Acomplia in the U.S. is still being considered.