| MSD discontinues taranabant developments | Posted on 06/10/2008 in Pharmaceutical Company Product News Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) has announced the discontinuation of its efforts to develop the investigational compound taranabant in patients with obesity.
The company said it would not seek regulatory approval for the drug in this indication and would halt its phase III clinical development programme for it.
It said available phase III data from the clinical trial programme showed adverse events and the compounds efficacy to be dose-related.
Higher doses of the drug resulted in a greater efficacy of the compound alongside more side-effects.
John Amatruda, senior vice-president and research head of diabetes and obesity at Merck Research Laboratories, said: "Therefore, after careful consideration, we determined that the overall profile of taranabant does not support further development for obesity."
He added his thanks for investgators and patients around the world who were involved in the study and said the company would look forward to developing new drugs to help patients with obesity to address this area of significant medical meet.
In April 2008, MSD said taranabant showed statistically significant weight loss when taken in combination with exercise and changed diet.
The results were presented at the annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology.Other news stories from 06/10/2008
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