A Review on the Clinical Potential of Lorcaserin in the Treatment of Obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic disease characterized by excessive fat accumulation and associated with impaired metabolism and cardiovascular disease. The high global prevalence of obesity has resulted in the production of anti-obesity drugs over the last couple of decades, normally to be used in combination with lifestyle modifications such as physical activity and diet. One such medication is lorcaserin, a selective serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine2C (5-HT2C) receptor agonist approved by the FDA in 2012 as a drug therapy for weight management in conjunction with lifestyle modifications. Importantly, the FDA recently issued a request to withdraw lorcaserin from the market as it may promote certain types of cancers, including pancreatic, colorectal, and lung, but further clinical data is being collected and analyzed to assess its carcinogenic risk. This review will address lorcaserin’s therapeutic potential for the treatment of obesity, considering the pre-clinical and clinical trials describing its efficacy in weight loss along with its adverse carcinogenic effects to ultimately determine the likelihood of its reintroduction into the market. Key words: Lorcaserian, obesity, carcinogenic risk