Lorcaserin,marketed under the brand nameBelviq,[4][5]was aweight-loss drugdeveloped byArena Pharmaceuticals.It reduces appetite by activatingserotonin receptorthe5-HT2Creceptorin thehypothalamus,a region of the brain which is known to control appetite.[6]It was approved in 2012, and in 2020, it was removed from the market in the United States due to an increased risk of cancer detected in users of Belviq.[7][1]

Lorcaserin
Clinical data
Trade namesBelviq
Other namesAPD-356
AHFS/DrugsMonograph
MedlinePlusa613014
License data
Routes of
administration
Oral
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokineticdata
Protein binding70%[2]
MetabolismHepatic(extensive)[2]
Eliminationhalf-life11 hours[2]
ExcretionRenal(92.3%),Faecal(2.2%)[2]
Identifiers
  • (1R)-8-chloro-1-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine
CAS Number
PubChemCID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard(EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.237.138Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC11H14ClN
Molar mass195.69g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • CC1CNCCC2=C1C=C(C=C2)Cl
  • InChI=1S/C11H14ClN/c1-8-7-13-5-4-9-2-3-10(12)6-11(8)9/h2-3,6,8,13H,4-5,7H2,1H3/t8-/m0/s1checkY
  • Key:XTTZERNUQAFMOF-QMMMGPOBSA-NcheckY
(verify)

Medical uses

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Lorcaserin was used long term for weight loss in those who are obese.[8]

The safety and efficacy of Belviq were evaluated in three randomized, placebo-controlled trials that included nearly 8,000 obese and overweight patients, with and without type 2 diabetes, treated for 52 to 104 weeks.[4]All participants received lifestyle modification that consisted of a reduced calorie diet and exercise counseling.[4]Compared with placebo, treatment with Belviq for up to one year was associated with average weight loss ranging from 3 percent to 3.7 percent.[4]

About 47 percent of patients without type 2 diabetes lost at least 5 percent of their body weight compared with about 23 percent of patients treated with placebo.[4]In people with type 2 diabetes, about 38 percent of patients treated with Belviq and 16 percent treated with placebo lost at least 5 percent of their body weight.[4]Belviq treatment was associated with favorable changes in glycemic control in those with type 2 diabetes.[4]The approved labeling for Belviq recommends that the drug be discontinued in patients who fail to lose 5 percent of their body weight after 12 weeks of treatment, as these patients are unlikely to achieve clinically meaningful weight loss with continued treatment.[4]

The drug's manufacturer was required to conduct six postmarketing studies, including a long-term cardiovascular outcomes trial to assess the effect of Belviq on the risk for major adverse cardiac events such as heart attack and stroke.[4]

Side effects

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In December 2012, the USDrug Enforcement Administrationproposed classifying lorcaserin as aSchedule IVdrug because it has hallucinogenic properties at higher than approved doses and users could develop psychiatric dependencies on the drug.[9][10]On 7 May 2013, the USDrug Enforcement Administrationclassified lorcaserin as a Schedule IV drug[11]under theControlled Substances Act.[9]

There had been concern that lorcaserin could causecardiac valvulopathybased upon the reports of subjects taking the drug in Phase 2 trials. However, a 2016 Phase 3 clinical trial found no statistically significant differences in valvulopathy rates compared to control, being 2.4% for the drug subjects and 2.0% for controls, and concluded that the drug was safe for the target population[12][13]although more long-term data was needed.[14]

FDA required a post-marketing cardiovascular safety trial as a condition of lorcaserin's approval (a requirement for all weight management drugs since the withdrawal ofsibutraminein 2010 due to cardiovascular harm).[15]The CAMELLIA-TIMI61 trial was conducted for this purpose, and it showed no difference in rates of major adverse cardiovascular events ( "MACE+ ", a composite of" cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, heart failure, or any coronary revascularization ") between lorcaserin and placebo.[16]However secondary analysis of CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 by FDA showed a likely higher cancer risk in those taking lorcaserin.[17][15]The trial was conducted in approximately 12,000 participants over five years and more patients taking lorcaserin were diagnosed with cancer compared to patients taking placebo.[15]CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 waspoweredto detect differences in MACE, but was not adequately powered to detect differences in cancer rates over the five-year study period.[18]

In February 2020, the FDA requested that the manufacturer of lorcaserin voluntarily withdraw the drug from the US market because a safety clinical trial showed an increased occurrence of cancer. The drug manufacturer, Eisai, voluntarily withdrew the drug.[19]

Mechanism of action

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Lorcaserin is a selective5-HT2Creceptoragonist,[20][21]andin vitrotesting of the drug showed reasonable selectivity for 5-HT2Cover other related targets.[22][23][24]5-HT2Creceptors are located almost exclusively in the brain, and can be found in thechoroid plexus,cortex,hippocampus,cerebellum,amygdala,thalamus,andhypothalamus.The activation of 5-HT2Creceptors in the hypothalamus is supposed to activateproopiomelanocortin(POMC) production and consequently promote weight loss throughsatiety.[25]This hypothesis is supported by clinical trials and other studies. While it is generally thought that 5-HT2Creceptors help to regulate appetite as well as mood, and endocrine secretion,[26]the exact mechanism of appetite regulation was not known as of 2005. Lorcaserin has shown 100x selectivity for 5-HT2Cversus the closely related 5-HT2Breceptor, and 17x selectivity over the 5-HT2Areceptor.[27][28]

Receptor[2] EC50[nM] Ki[nM]
5-HT2C 39 13
5-HT2B 2380 147
5-HT2A 553 92

Chemistry

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Thechemical structureof lorcaserin is similar to that ofpara-chloroamphetamine(PCA).

Approval history

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On 22 December 2009, aNew Drug Application(NDA) was submitted to theFood and Drug Administration(FDA) in the United States.[29]

On 16 September 2010, an FDA advisory panel voted 9–5 against approval of the drug based on concerns over both efficacy and safety, particularly the findings of mammary gland tumors of female rats.[30][31]On 23 October 2010, the FDA decided not to approve the drug based on the available data. This was not only because cancer promoting properties could not be ruled out, but also because the weight loss efficacy was considered "marginal".[32]

On 10 May 2012, after a new round of studies submitted by Arena, an FDA panel voted to recommend lorcaserin with certain restrictions and patient monitoring. The restrictions include patients with aBMIof over 30, or with a BMI over 27 and a comorbidity such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.[33]

On 27 June 2012, the FDA approved lorcaserin for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (obese), or adults with a BMI of 27 or greater (overweight) and who had at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol (dyslipidemia).[4][34]

On 15 July 2016, FDA approved the extended release version of lorcaserin for weight management with once-daily dosing instead of twice daily dosing.[35]

On 17 September 2020, FDA withdrew approval for lorcaserin and for extended-release lorcaserin tablets.[36]

References

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  2. ^abcde"Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride) tablet [Eisai, Inc]".DailyMed.Eisai, Inc. August 2012.Archivedfrom the original on 21 October 2013.Retrieved21 October2013.
  3. ^"Lorcaserin Use During Pregnancy".Drugs.4 November 2019.Retrieved14 January2020.
  4. ^abcdefghij"FDA approves Belviq to treat some overweight or obese adults".U.S.Food and Drug Administration(FDA)(Press release). 27 June 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 1 October 2012.Retrieved14 January2020.This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  5. ^"Belviq".Trademarkia. 23 June 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 30 June 2012.Retrieved27 June2012.
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  9. ^abWilson MR (19 December 2012)."Reg Watch".The Hill.Archivedfrom the original on 20 March 2013.
  10. ^"Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of Lorcaserin into Schedule IV".19 December 2012.
  11. ^"Department Of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration 21 CFR Part 1308, Placement of Lorcaserin into Schedule IV".8 May 2013.
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  16. ^ Sharretts J, Galescu O, Gomatam S, Andraca-Carrera E, Hampp C, Yanoff L (September 2020). "Cancer Risk Associated with Lorcaserin - The FDA's Review of the CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 Trial".The New England Journal of Medicine.383(11): 1000–1002.doi:10.1056/NEJMp2003873.PMID32905671.S2CID221625777.
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  19. ^"FDA In Brief: FDA Requests Voluntary Withdrawal of Weight-Loss Medication After Clinical Trial Shows an Increased Occurrence of Cancer".FDA.13 February 2020.
  20. ^Thomsen WJ, Grottick AJ, Menzaghi F, Reyes-Saldana H, Espitia S, Yuskin D, et al. (May 2008). "Lorcaserin, a novel selective human 5-hydroxytryptamine2C agonist: in vitro and in vivo pharmacological characterization".The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.325(2): 577–87.doi:10.1124/jpet.107.133348.PMID18252809.S2CID20924745.
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  26. ^Millan MJ (2005)."Serotonin 5-HT2C receptors as a target for the treatment of depressive and anxious states: focus on novel therapeutic strategies".Therapie.60(5): 441–60.doi:10.2515/therapie:2005065.PMID16433010.Archivedfrom the original on 28 August 2015.
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  28. ^Smith BM, Smith JM, Tsai JH, Schultz JA, Gilson CA, Estrada SA, et al. (January 2008). "Discovery and structure-activity relationship of (1R)-8-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1-methyl-1H-3-benzazepine (Lorcaserin), a selective serotonin 5-HT2C receptor agonist for the treatment of obesity".Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.51(2): 305–13.doi:10.1021/jm0709034.PMID18095642.
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  • "Lorcaserin".Drug Information Portal.U.S. National Library of Medicine.