Sanofi-Aventis reports Acomplia ‘benefits patients’

Sanofi-Aventis has announced the results of a recent trial of Acomplia (rimonabant), its cannabinoid type one receptor blocker for the treatment of patients with type two diabetes. The data showed improvements in glucose control and weight, in addition to other risk factors, including HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.

In the Serenade study, patients not previously receiving antidiabetic treatment exhibited a lowering in HvA1c levels of 0.8 per cent from a baseline value of 7.9 after being administered with 20mg of rimonabant per day for six months. Patients in the control group saw a reduction of 0.3 per cent.

Julio Rosenstock, director of the Dallas Diabetes and Endocrine Centre at Medical City, said: “This study suggests that rimonabant can achieve improvement in blood glucose with the added benefit of significant weight loss and improvement in other risk factors.”

He added that some other pharmaceuticals currently on the market for the treatment of type two diabetes result in weight gain in patients, with rimonabant exhibiting a different “mode of action” compared to these substances.

In October, Sanonfi-Aventis announced the publication of the results of the RIO-Diabetes study into the administration of rimonabant that showed improved levels of blood sugar, weight loss and other factors.