Pfizer follows Sanofi lead, kills obesity program

Just hours after Sanofi-Aventis pulled the plug on its clinical trials for the diet drug Acomplia, Pfizer followed suit and called a halt on its development of an experimental weight loss drug belonging to the same class of drugs. Both drugs target the cannabinoid type 1, or CB1, receptors-the pleasure center in the brain that can be triggered by marijuana. The twin moves heralded the end of two programs for drugs that were once considered potential blockbusters.

"This will significantly affect the perception of their (future) revenues," but the companies could overcome that with replacement drugs down the road, analyst Steve Brozak of WBB Securities told the AP.

Acomplia was done in by its added risk of depression, anxiety and stress disorders. Pfizer said that "changing regulatory perspectives on the risk/benefit profile of the CB1 class and likely new regulatory requirements for approval" persuaded the company to end work on CP-945598, which was in Phase III trials.

"While confident in the safety of the compound, we believe that this is the appropriate decision based on all available information regarding this class of agents, as well as recent discussions with regulatory authorities," Martin Mackay, president of Pfizer Global Research and Development, said in a statement.

- see Pfizer's release
- check out the AP report

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