Arena seeks FDA approval for weight-loss drug

SAN DIEGO Arena Pharmaceuticals has submitted a regulatory approval application to the Food and Drug Administration for a weight-control drug, the drug maker announced Tuesday.

Arena submitted the new drug application for lorcaserin, designed to help patients lose and manage weight. The submission is based on 18 clinical trials of 8,576 patients.

“Physicians need new, better-tolerated approaches to improve the treatment of patients who are obese or significantly overweight,” Arena VP and chief medical officer William Shanahan said. “Based on the robust data package we submitted to the FDA, lorcaserin has the potential to meet this need, offering patients the opportunity to achieve sustainable weight loss in a well-tolerated manner and improve their cardiometabolic health and quality of life.”