Novo Nordisk : phase 3 development of liraglutide for obesity

22 June 2010 - Novo Nordisk announced the decision to re-initiate the global phase 3 development programme of liraglutide for the treatment of obesity.
Following the US approval of Victoza® for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, Novo Nordisk has been in dialogue with the FDA regarding the further progression of the development programme investigating the potential of liraglutide within obesity. Based on the feedback from the FDA, Novo Nordisk now plans to re-initiate the global phase 3 programme in the first half of 2011 in clinical trials comprising approximately 5,000 patients.
The re-initiation of liraglutide obesity trials underlines Novo Nordisk's dedication to the development of the liraglutide portfolio, that is the cardiovascular outcomes trial for Victoza® (LEADER(TM)), the obesity programme, the fixed-ratio combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide, and finally a once-weekly version of liraglutide.Novo Nordisk remains committed to the development of a longer-acting GLP-1 analogue and now expects to outline the clinical development strategy for semaglutide, a once-weekly GLP-1 analogue, and the once-weekly version of liraglutide in the second half of 2011... Novo Nordisk's Press Release -

EnteroMedics : Data From VBLOC-DM2 ENABLE Study to Be Presented at American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Meeting

Jun 22, 2010 -- EnteroMedics Inc. (NASDAQ: ETRM), the developer of medical devices using neuroblocking technology to treat obesity and other gastrointestinal disorders, announced that updated clinical results from the Company's VBLOC-DM2 ENABLE (DM2) study will be presented on June 26, 2010 at 11:30 AM PT at the 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons (ASMBS), being held June 21-26 in Las Vegas, NV. The Company also announced updated data from its EMPOWER(TM) study in obesity.

"The Maestro System has been studied in over 400 people to date, with some patients into their fifth year of follow-up," said President and CEO Mark B. Knudson, Ph.D. "Across a number of studies, we have observed clinically significant weight loss and control of obesity related co-morbidities as well as a safety profile that distinguishes this system from all other bariatric surgical procedures. We are particularly encouraged by the strong, positive feedback from the metabolic and bariatric surgery community."... EnteroMedics' Press Release -

TransEnterix SPIDER Surgical System : In Use at Hospitals Across the U.S.

4/1/10 - Officials at TransEnterix announce that surgeons at hospitals across the United States now are treating patients with the company’s proprietary SPIDER® Surgical System.

Starting last week, surgeons used the platform to perform a wide variety of multi specialty procedures ranging from gallbladder removal to weight-loss gastric banding to colon resections. Participating surgeons and medical centers included:

Dr. John Bagnato at Palmyra Medical Center in Albany, Ga., Dr. Tiffany Jessee at Palms of Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., Dr. Wade Naziri at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C., and Dr. William Kelley at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, Va. “In the past 20 years, we have seen the evolution of abdominal surgery go from large, 6- to 8-inch incisions to multiple small, less-than 1-inch keyhole incisions, which greatly improves patient recovery,” Bagnato said. “With the SPIDER Surgical System, the technology now exists to attain a standard in patient care where a safe single keyhole incision is a reality.”

With the successful deployment of the SPIDER Surgical System, TransEnterix is doing more than introducing a new medical device, said Todd M. Pope, president and CEO. The company is creating an entirely new category of surgery, Flexible Laparoscopy, which Pope described as combining the capabilities of small, catheter-based instruments with the proven techniques of traditional laparoscopic surgery... TransEnterix's Press Release -

INTERLEUKIN GENETICS AND STANFORD UNIVERSITY : GENETIC TEST IMPROVES WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS

March 3, 2010 – Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (NYSE Amex: ILI) announced presentation of findings from a retrospective clinical study on weight management conducted in collaboration with Stanford University. The study results and conclusions were presented by investigators from Stanford Prevention Research Center at Stanford University School of Medicine during an oral presentation titled “Genotype Patterns Predict Weight Loss Success: The Right Diet Does Matter,” at the American Heart Association’s Joint 50th Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention – and – Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism conference, being held March 2-5 in San Francisco, CA.

In 2008, Interleukin Genetics and Stanford University began a research collaboration to determine whether individuals who were assigned diets that were appropriate for their genotype could lose more weight than those who followed a diet inappropriate for their genotype, as determined by the Interleukin Genetics proprietary Weight Management Genetic Test. The findings showed statistically significant greater weight loss, metabolic benefit and other improvements when compared to individuals on diets not matched to their genotype... Interleukin Genetics' Press Release -

Allergan : Campaign to Urge Greater Attention to Critical Need for Both Prevention and Treatment to Effectively Address Adult Obesity

May 13, 2010 - Campaign Highlights Importance of Prevention Programs While Calling for Urgent Recognition of Necessity of Treatment to Help the 70 Million Americans Currently Struggling with Obesity - Allergan, Inc., (NYSE: AGN) makers of the LAP-BAND(R) Adjustable Gastric Banding System, announced the launch of a new national public awareness and advocacy campaign called C.H.O.I.C.E. Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment which advocates for consumers, healthcare professionals and Congress to work together to successfully address the obesity epidemic through a dual focus on prevention and treatment. The campaign calls for greater understanding and recognition that obesity is NOT a choice self-selected by those struggling with excess weight, but rather a serious disease that remains the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, second only to smoking,(2) and as such requires the same national attention and urgent treatment as other serious diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Through a range of initiatives starting in May 2010, the C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign will drive and encourage dialogue and action among communities, members of the media and Congress to change how America views obesity and raise awareness of the critical need for greater access to and acceptance of all effective treatments to fight obesity, including weight-loss surgery for those individuals who are severely obese (defined as approximately 100 pounds or more overweight)... Allergan's Press Release -