Interleukin Genetics and Geisinger : Collaboration on Genetic Tests to Predict Weight Loss Success

Sep. 18,2008 - Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (Amex: ILI - News), and Geisinger Health System, announced a research collaboration to explore the role of genetics in obesity. The goal of the collaboration is to develop a series of genetic tests that will help physicians better understand an individual's inherited resistance to weight loss and, more specifically, gauge a patient's likelihood of success with diet and other weight loss techniques.

Geisinger and Interleukin Genetics will engage in a case-control retrospective study involving the analysis of DNA to better understand genetic links to obesity. The study will focus exclusively on variations of perilipin, interleukin 1 and a select number of other genes... Interleukin Genetics' Press Release -

Obecure : First Patient in Phase II Obesity Study in Pre-Menopause Women

08.09.2008 - Obecure has commenced a Phase II clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of Histalean^TM in obese patients. This study, encoded BET-207, is a follow-up to the Company's post-hoc findings in a prior Phase II study, suggesting that treatment with a 48 mg/day dose of the drug provides significant weight reduction in obese women up to the age of 50. The current study is a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multi-center, dose ranging study to confirm the efficacy of a 12 week treatment with the drug in obese but otherwise healthy premenopausal females aged 18-50. The study will randomize about 180 obese women, with a body to mass ratio (BMI) ranging from 30 - 40 kg/m², into three study arms: 60 women will be treated with 48 mg/day Histalean^TM, 60 women will be treated with 96 mg/day Histalean^TM and 60 women will receive matching placebo. The study will be carried out in about 12 investigation sites in Europe and regulatory approval has already been received in Belgium and the Netherlands... Obecure's Press Release -

Aragon Surgical LapCap : FDA Special 510(K) Clearance For Use With Longer Needles Used In Morbidly Obese Patients

January 23rd, 2008—Aragon Surgical, Inc., a developer of surgical devices, announced that it has received FDA Special 510(k) Clearance allowing laparoscopic surgeons to use the company’s novel LapCap with any length needle, allowing the LapCap to be used across the patient obesity spectrum, including in morbidly obese patients.
The initial step in laparoscopic surgery requires instillation of gas into the abdominal cavity, creating the space in which the surgeon operates (the pneumoperitoneum). In order to instill the gas, the surgeon blindly passes a 14 gauge needle through the abdominal wall, attempting to position the needle tip within the abdominal cavity without injuring intestines or blood vessels based on subtle tactile feedback. Blind needle passage is an inconsistent maneuver associated with risk of needle injury to intestines and vessels, failure to correctly position the needle, and anxiety for the surgeon... [PDF] Aragon Surgical's Press Release -

Corcept Therapeutics and Lilly : about Collaboration With Eli Lilly and Company

Sep 3, 2008 - Corcept Therapeutics (CORT) announced that Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) has agreed to fund studies to test the effectiveness of Corcept's selective GRII receptor antagonist, CORT 108297, in rat models of olanzapine induced weight gain.
Corcept has previously published the results of studies in rats that demonstrated that CORLUX, a potent GRII (cortisol) receptor antagonist, both reduced the weight gain associated with the ongoing use of olanzapine and mitigated the weight gain associated with the initiation of treatment with olanzapine. In August of 2007, Corcept also announced that the results of a clinical trial in healthy men indicated that CORLUX mitigated the weight gain associated with the initiation of treatment with olanzapine.

Lilly supplied olanzapine and provided the funds for this human proof of concept study... Corcept Therapeutics' Press Release -