The Race is Heating Up for Anti-Obesity Drug Makers

Lipitor, Zocor, Nexium, Prevacid, Advair, Plavix, Zoloft, and Epogen just to name a few. So what do these drugs have in common? Yes, these are not only the most recognizable drugs due to their huge marketing effect, but these are also a multi-billion dollar drugs. So what do these drugs have to do with obesity? Well, nothing, but the fact that obesity is the most prevalence, 65% of American adult are obese, and American spent $123 billion a year in medical and related cost, therefore the potential market for obesity is a multi-billion dollar one. And the race to be the first to market the next anti-obesity and assume a leading position in the multi-billion dollar market is beginning to heat up. So who are the key players in this race?

- Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc.(biotech ticker: Orex) Drug: Contrave
Company announced that their anti-obesity,Contrave, met phase III end point for their obesity drug on July 20th and since the announcement shares are up 60% and will file with the FDA by 1Q 2010.

- Vivus Inc (biotech ticker: VVUS) recently announced a positive phase III results of their flagship antiobesity drug,Qnexa, and since the announcement on Sept 8th 2009 the stock price up almost 75%. Company announced they will file with FDA by year end.

- Arena Pharm (biotech ticker: ARNA) plan to announce their phase III drug, Lorcaserin, and soon after will file for FDA to market their anti-obesity drug by year end.

There you have it, the top leading small cap biotech anti-obesity drug makers. The race to be the first to market the drug, sign big partnership and capture the huge market potential has begun. So the question, Who will win the FDA approval and get a crack at the huge market potential? We will have to wait and see, and definitely worth keep an eye out.



tag: ARNA,VVUS,OREX