The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) applauds the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approving Saxenda®, a new weight-management medication developed by Novo Nordisk Inc.
Saxenda decreases feelings of hunger and increases feelings of fullness after eating to help patients regulate their appetite and control their food intake.
“Today’s decision by the FDA marks another milestone in the health care industry,” said OMA President Dr. Eric C. Westman. “There is undoubtedly a need for medical obesity treatment options, and patients now have more options than ever to discuss with their physicians.”
Saxenda joins three other FDA-approved weight-management medications currently on the market: Belviq from Eisai Inc., approved in 2012; Qsymia from Vivus Inc., approved in 2012; and Contrave from Takeda Pharmaceuticals, approved in 2014.
The FDA’s decision today continues a trend toward recognizing and treating obesity as a chronic disease, as it was declared by the American Medical Association in 2013.
“There is no universal cure for obesity,” said OMA President-elect Dr. Deborah Bade Horn. “Individuals affected by obesity need medical treatment options personalized to them, and having another medication to use for treatment certainly helps clinicians provide effective, individualized care.”