New diet pill | HealthInfi

To meet the growing demand for prescription and non-prescription weight loss products, pharmaceutical companies invest millions of $ in the development and research of new diet pills. Note that the new diet pill can be called only one that contains an innovative active ingredient or a unique combination of different active ingredients. As an exception, the new diet pill can be called the pill, which has a unique dosage form. For example, usual diet pills containing Phentermine have been sold in the USA for over 50 years.

The first Phentermine chewable diet pill went on sale in 2012. The new chewing diet pill is sold at the US pharmacies under the brand Suprenza. The advantage of new Suprenza (Phentermine) diet pill over usual Phentermine pills is that the chewable pills dissolve in the mouth in just a few seconds. The diet pill cannot be called the new one if its generic versions containing the same active ingredient are available in retail sale. For instance, in the late 90s of the last century, Orlistat pills first became available in the UK.

More than 10 years, Orlistat slimming drug was sold only under the brands Xenical and Alli in the UK. In 2012, other Orlistat-containing drugs including Beacita slimming drug became available at the UK pharmacies. In 2012, many consumers of weight loss products called Beacita the new diet pills. However, for professionals, Beacita drug was just a generic version of Alli and Xenical. In 2012, “the new” Beacita diet pill was cheaper than Xenical or Alli diet pills. For several years, Xenical and Alli prices gradually decreased in the UK. Therefore, today, the price of “new” Beacita diet pill in the UK is comparable to the price of other Orlistat-containing drugs, Alli as well.

To develop a new diet pill, it is required not only a lot of money, but also much time. The duration of creating a new diet pill can reach several decades. However, even successful clinical studies cannot guarantee a long-term safety of the new diet pill. Over the past 55 years, the sales of more than 20 new diet pills were launched in the USA. Some of the new diet drugs were withdrawn in just a few years after the start of sales. For example, in 2006, Sanofi company received the European marketing authorization for Rimonabant diet pill. In the UK, the new Rimonabant diet pills were sold under the brand Acomplia.

Two years after the beginning of sales of the new diet pill, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published a warning about the fact that Acomplia can cause severe psychiatric side effects. In 2008, the EMA recommended suspending the sales of Acomplia and in 2009 Sanofi voluntarily withdrew Acomplia from the international pharmaceutical market. The similar case happened with a relatively “new” diet pill – Meridia (Sibutramine) approved by the FDA in 1999. A little more than 10 years, Meridia pills were sold at the US pharmacies. However, because of Meridia ability to cause severe cardiovascular side effects, these diet pills were withdrawn from the US market and their retail sale was discontinued in 2010.

After the recall of Acomplia and Meridia, the only “new” prescription diet drug – Orlistat first approved by the FDA in April 1999, remained at the market. A new stage of development of the global market of weight loss products began in 2012.

Two years after Meridia recall, the launch of sales of two new diet drugs was announced in the USA.

• In June 2012, the FDA approved a new diet pill – Belviq
• In July 2012, the FDA approved a new diet pill – Qsymia

Belviq is the fundamentally new diet pill containing the innovative active substance Lorcaserin. Belviq is the first serotonergic anorectic approved by the FDA as a short-term treatment of obesity. The new diet pill – Qsymia is different from Belviq by that contains two active substances: Phentermine and Topiramate. Drug containing only Phentermine first was approved by the FDA in 1959, as well as first went on sale under the brand Ionamin.

• Drug containing only Topiramate first was approved by the FDA in 1969 and first launched on the market under the brand Topamax.

The new diet pill – Qsymia (with Topiramate and Phentermine) is a unique weight loss product. In 2015, Qsymia combined diet pills have no analogs. Herewith, patent protection for Qsymia (Phentermine; Topiramate) in the U.S. was expected to expire in 2020. During the next 5 years, diet pills with Topiramate and Phentermine will be sold under the brand Qsymia. Another combined diet drug is sold under the brand Contrave in the USA.Read More