FIRST CANADIAN TRIAL FOR XENICAL LAUNCHED.Hoffmann-La Roche Limited, Canada, has initiated a clinical trial to evaluate its weight loss medication Xenical(R) (orlistat) in overweight adolescents. Xenical is the only Health Canada-approved prescription medication for adults that reduces the absorption of dietary fat. The new trial will study the safety and efficacy of Xenical in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet in the treatment of overweight adolescents 12 to 16 years of age. According to a study reported in the November 28, 2000 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) is a general medical journal that is published biweekly by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). It is considered to be one of the top six general medical journals; the others being the (CMAJ CMAJ Canadian Medical Association Journal ), the rates of overweight children and adolescents in Canada are increasing. In 1996, rates for boys increased to 28.8 per cent and girls to 23.6 per cent, both from 15 per cent in 1981. The prevalence of obesity in children has more than doubled over that period, to 13.5 per cent for boys and 11.8 per cent for girls, both from five per cent. "We are well aware that the prevalence of being overweight in children and adolescents is growing and we believe this clinical trial is a positive step towards providing an effective solution to this problem," said Dr. Daniele Pacaud, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Calgary. "The safety and efficacy of Xenical have been demonstrated in many clinical studies in adults. Xenical's unique non-central nervous system mode of action could make it a good option for adolescents who are overweight." The trial, involving approximately 450 patients in Canada and the United States The United States and Canada share a unique legal relationship. U.S. law looks northward with a mixture of optimism and cooperation, viewing Canada as an integral part of U.S. economic and environmental policy. , will be conducted in six centres across Canada, including Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal and Halifax and 29 centres in the United States. All participants will receive nutritional and behaviour modification counseling throughout the study. The CMAJ study also reports that excessive body mass during childhood and adolescence is associated with an increased risk of becoming overweight in adulthood, as well as with higher morbidity and mortality Morbidity and Mortality can refer to:
One of the two major types of diabetes mellitus, characterized by late age of onset (30 years or older), insulin resistance, high levels of blood sugar, and little or no need for supple-mental insulin. , high cholesterol Cholesterol, High Definition Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in animal tissue and is an important component to the human body. It is manufactured in the liver and carried throughout the body in the bloodstream. and hypertension are becoming more common in severely overweight children. Xenical is a safe and effective weight management treatment for overweight and obese patients. Xenical is the only peripherally-acting prescription lipase lipase (lī`pās), any enzyme capable of degrading lipid molecules. The bulk of dietary lipids are a class called triacylglycerols and are attacked by lipases to yield simple fatty acids and glycerol, molecules which can permeate the membranes inhibitor for weight loss, maintenance of lost weight, and the reduction of risk of weight regain after prior weight loss, when used with a reduced-calorie diet. Xenical blocks about one-third of the fat in food from being digested. Since it was first marketed in 1998, there have been more than eight million patient treatments with Xenical worldwide. Compared to diet alone, weight loss with Xenical also resulted in improvements in many obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Limited is an international healthcare company committed to the discovery and development of new and innovative medicines to help treat human illnesses. Represented in more than 70 countries, the company is a world leader in the research and development of innovative pharmaceuticals, vitamins, fine chemicals and diagnostic equipment. The company is active in a broad range of therapeutic categories that include: AIDS, cardiology, dermatology, infectious disease Infectious disease A pathological condition spread among biological species. Infectious diseases, although varied in their effects, are always associated with viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, multicellular parasites and aberrant proteins known as prions. , obesity, transplant, oncology and virology virology, study of viruses and their role in disease. Many viruses, such as animal RNA viruses and viruses that infect bacteria, or bacteriophages, have become useful laboratory tools in genetic studies and in work on the cellular metabolic control of gene expression . For further information, call (905) 542-5544. |
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