Zydus Cadila to launch anti-obesity drug Slimona in India

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Zydus Cadila has launched Slimona , the new generation anti-obesity drug in India. Slimona (Rimonabant) is a selective CB1 Endocannabinoid (EC) receptor antagonist indicated for the treatment of obesity. The group is the first company to launch this revolutionary new molecule for Indian patients. This first-in-class drug has been approved for the treatment of obese patients with associated risk factors, such as type II diabetes or dyslipidemia, The drug comes in a tablet form of strength 20 mg to be consumed before breakfast once a day (administered strictly under medical advice).

Obesity differs from being overweight, as it is a disease wherein excess of body fat is accumulated. It is determined through a measurement tool - Body Mass Index (BMI) and a person with BMI of 30 or more is said to be obese. Significant increase in the consumption of fats and energy dense foods with a concurrent reduction in physical activity has led to an alarming increase in obesity in India. The risk of obesity in India is highest in 20% of the population that consumes 80% of visible dietary fat. According to the Nutrition Foundation of India (NFI), a food-policy NGO, there are an estimated 45% overweight women and 29% overweight men in urban India. School surveys in Indian cities show that 30% of adolescents from India's higher economic groups are overweight.  Data from the World Health Organisation shows that 300 million people in the world are obese, while over 1 billion overweight and 2.5 million deaths in the world occur due to this disease.

Rapidly changing dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle give rise to compounded problems like disruption in the body's energy balance system leading to high levels of obesity. It is estimated that nearly 30 million Indians are at a high risk. Highlighting the need for this new therapy in India, Dr. Ravindra Mittal, Medical Advisor and Head Regulatory Affairs, Zydus Cadila says: 'Considering the rapidly escalating incidence of obesity and the need for new anti-obesity therapies, Slimona will address the needs of family physicians, cardiologists, endocrinologists, gynaecs, diabetologists and other specialists, who have been looking for a way to have better control and management of obese and overweight patients'.

The phenomenal rise in the occurrence of type 2 diabetes is largely due to the increase in incidence of obesity. Studies show an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and possibly other illnesses such as atherosclerosis, pulmonary diseases, liver and gall bladder diseases, women's diseases including infertility, osteoarthritis, certain types of cancers such as breast, throat, kidney, etc., as a direct consequence of obesity. Slimona heralds a new line of treatment with the central cannabinoid (CB1) receptors playing a key role in controlling food consumption.

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