GSK's weight-loss drug 'Alli' vows to fight obesity

Washington, United States, January 25: Orlistat, the first over-the-counter weight-loss drug approved by FDA for sale in the United States, will now be available on the shelves of pharmacies across the United Kingdom in the next few months, the UK-based pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said.

The pharmaceutical giant has received a non-prescription license from European regulators for its anti-obesity drug Orlistat (alli), meaning the British drugmaker can now introduce its first weight-loss drug for adults with a body mass indexdefine (BMI) of 28kg per metre squared or above, in all 27 EU member countries.

A BMI of 28 is defined as overweight by the National Institutes of Health, while over 30 is classed as obese. Alli, which costs around £1.45 a day, should not be consumed if one is not overweight.

After the European Commission’s approval, Alli has become the first non-prescription anti-obesity pill.

James Hallatt, General Manager of GSK Consumer Healthcare UK, said: "Receiving a licence for alli heralds a significant milestone which may contribute to relieving the growing burden of obesity in the UK.

"We are pleased that we can offer a new, clinically proven option for thousands of people who struggle to lose weight.”

Alli, which Americans have been getting without prescription since 2007, is the half-strength version of Roche's Xenical, a prescription weight loss Pill, and works by reducing the gut's ability to absorb fat from the human diet, thereby reducing caloric intake.

Manfred Scheske, President of GSK Consumer Healthcare Europe, said: "alli, in the US, has successfully helped millions of users lose weight gradually and steadily, and adopt a healthy lifestyle. We are very excited about the opportunity to create similar success in Europe and we will be launching alli in pharmacies throughout Europe soon."

The drug is licenses for treatment of adults over 18 years of age and will be available in 60 mg capsule form to be taken up to 3 times a day with meals.

Designed and developed for use in combination with a "reduced calorie, low fat diet, and exercise program," the alli pill is no "magic bullet," says GSK. Although the drug offers the potential for greater weight loss than dieting alone, but can cause loose stools and gas with an oily discharge if not used properly, warns the alli maker.