title: Emerging pharmacotherapy for obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is a rapidly increasing global health problem. The rates of obesity have tripled over the past three decades and are predicted to rise even further. The need for safe and effective therapies is great and has gone unmet.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review will summarize the emerging pharmacological treatments for obesity. The research discussed includes Phase III and early-phase clinical trials as well as recently published data regarding emerging treatment therapies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new generation of anti-obesity drugs offers hope in the management of obesity, but no single agent is likely to be a panacea. Treatment of obesity will likely use multiple medications to achieve the desired result. Additionally, in light of the challenges faced by drug companies in order to gain FDA approval for an obesity therapy, the future approach may be to seek approval for obesity-related co-morbidities. This approach would enhance the ability of physicians to practice 'weight-centric' disease management.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Weight Control Program, Weill-Cornell Medical College, NY 10065, USA. ljaronne@mail.med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Louis J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Aronne
authors.forename: Amanda G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Caroline M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Apovian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents