A pill that makes patients lose weight is a pharmaceutical company's dream—and it's one step closer for Vivus, Arena Pharmaceuticals, and Orexigen. These companies each have a weight-loss drug in the final stages of development, and the race is on to get their drug applications into the FDA for review. Combined with cutting calories and exercising, obese people—those 30 pounds or more over a healthy weight—who took one of the medications lost about 15 percent of their starting weight in a year. Obesity researchers say the drugs, which will not be available to the public for at least a year, could help curb weight-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
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