FDA Approves New Obesity Drug

The FDA has approved a new drug designed to fight obesity.

The Food And Drug Administration announced today that it had approved Belviq (Lorcaserin), to be used in conjunction with diet and exercise in order to help people lose weight. The FDA approved Belviq for use with adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 or above with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol.

In a statement, Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said, “The approval of this drug, used responsibly in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, provides a treatment option for Americans who are obese or are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition.”

Belviq is manufactured by Arena Pharmaceuticals, a company based in Switzerland.