This new diet drug has been waiting for FDA approval, but the pharmaceutical company behind Contrave didn’t get the answer they wanted today. Instead, the FDA decided to postpone a decision by three months until September 11, 2014. Here are the essential facts about Contrave:
1. What is Contrave?
Contrave is a weight loss pill developed by a pharmaceutical company Orexigen, whose focus is on treating obesity. Its temporary name is NB32 and it’s a combination of two already approved drugs: Wellbutrin and Revia (Vivitrol, generic name Naltrexone).
2. Contrave Might Help People Lose 5-10% of Body Weight
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Clinical trials showed that people taking NB32 lost an average of 5-10 percent of their body weight. For a 200-pound person, that would be 10-20 pounds.
3. The FDA Rejected Contrave Approval in 2011
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In 2011, the FDA asked for more research into cardiovascular risks and did not approve the weight loss pill.
4. The Newest Studies Seem to Show Contrave/NB32 is Safe
Because of the FDA’s directive in 2011, Orexigen has been conducting an ongoing study of 8900 patients on Contrave called the Light Study. Because of the positive results from their study, they resubmitted their application to the FDA in December of 2013.
5. Contrave Might Also Help With Depression
Contrave is a combination of two already existing and approved drugs. One is the antidepressant Wellbutrin (bupropion) which is also used by people to quit smoking and Revia, which is used to treat alcohol and drug addictions. Early studies showed that Contrave had a positive effect on depressed patients.
