title: Emerging drugs for the treatment of obesity.
abstract: The increasing prevalence of obesity represents a huge threat to public health and the current pharmacological treatment options are limited. Bariatric surgery is by far the most effective treatment for severe obesity, highlighting the urgent need for new and improved drug therapies. Areas covered: Based on the physiological regulation of energy homeostasis, pharmacological strategies to treat obesity are evaluated with focus on drugs in phase 2 and 3 clinical development. The potential impact of these drugs on current treatment standards and the barriers for development are discussed and set in a historical perspective of previous antiobesity medications. Expert opinion: The radical effects of bariatric surgery have extended our understanding of the mechanisms controlling appetite and boosted the search for new drug targets in obesity treatment. Accordingly, several compounds targeting the central nervous system and/or periphery are in pipeline for obesity. These drugs should be evaluated over a wide array of end-points; in particular, long-term safety monitoring is necessary as serious adverse events may appear. Combination therapy targeting more than one pathway controlling energy balance might be necessary to achieve substantial weight loss while minimising side effects.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Hvidovre University Hospital , Hvidovre , Denmark.|b Danish Diabetes Academy , Odense University Hospital , Odense , Denmark.
authors.forename: Christoffer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martinussen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Hvidovre University Hospital , Hvidovre , Denmark.
authors.forename: Kirstine Nyvold
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Bojsen-Moller
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Hvidovre University Hospital , Hvidovre , Denmark.
authors.forename: Maria Saur
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Svane
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Hvidovre University Hospital , Hvidovre , Denmark.|c Steno Diabetes Center , Gentofte , Denmark.
authors.forename: Thomas Fremming
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Dejgaard
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Hvidovre University Hospital , Hvidovre , Denmark.
authors.forename: Sten
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madsbad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015195:Drug Design; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001067:Appetite Depressants
keywords: Energy homeostasis; antiobesity drugs; appetite inhibition; weight loss