• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

For Morbidly Obese Patients, Bariatric Surgery is an Increasingly Attractive Option After More Traditional Weight Loss Methods Have Failed

Posted on: Friday, 7 April 2006, 06:00 CDT

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c31676) has announced the addition of "Impact of Bariatric Surgeries on the Obesity Pharmaceutical Market" to their offering.

For morbidly obese patients, bariatric surgery is an increasingly attractive option after more traditional weight loss methods have failed. The lack of long-term efficacy and the modest weight loss associated with currently marketed anti-obesity drugs--particularly among morbidly obese patients--do not make them an attractive therapeutic option. As a result, drug prescriptions have declined over the past few years, and the number of annual bariatric surgeries has risen. The issue for pharmaceutical companies is how this growing recognition of bariatric surgery will affect the market for anti-obesity drugs.

This Decision Resources report reviews major considerations in the treatment of obesity, including its classification as a disease, and where pharmaceuticals and bariatric surgery fit into the therapeutic algorithm in the United States. The report provides an overview of bariatric surgeries, and discusses promising emerging therapies in the treatment of obesity and the impact bariatric surgery is expected to have on the overall pharmaceutical market in light of the expected launch of Sanofi-Aventiss rimonabant (Acomplia).

Although sales of anti-obesity drugs have declined in recent years, the number of bariatric surgeries is on the rise, fueled by the potential for significant weight loss and safer procedures. However, the surgeries will remain a third-line therapy because of the invasive nature of the treatment and the lifestyle aspect of the disease. No improvements in surgical procedures are likely to position bariatric surgery as a replacement for lifestyle interventions and drug therapies.

The anti-obesity market is awaiting the arrival of rimonabant (Sanofi-Aventis's Acomplia), a potential blockbuster that may postpone the need for bariatric surgeries, particularly in class II obese patients who would otherwise be eligible for surgical intervention. This novel therapy will reduce the impact of bariatric surgeries on the obesity pharmaceutical market provided it meets expectations.

Vast commercial opportunities exist for a more efficacious treatment for obesity. The increasing prevalence of obesity and the introduction of novel agents such as rimonabant will drive the growth of the U.S. obesity market from $315 million in 2003 to more than $1.7 billion in 2013.

The treatment of obesity represents a dilemma for third-party payers. The recognition of obesity as a disease, the fact that obesity is a major risk factor for many long-term chronic health conditions, and pressure from lawmakers have prompted some third-party payers to begin reimbursing for bariatric surgeries. However, the expected rise in obesity (to 88 million individuals by 2013) means that continued reimbursement for obesity treatment may represent a financial impracticality for these companies.

Key topics covered:

-- A Changing View of Obesity and Anti-Obesity Therapy

-- Obesity: Why Is It a Disease?

-- Treatment of Obesity in the United States

-- Overview of Bariatric Surgeries

-- The U.S. Obesity Market

Companies Mentioned

-- Sanofi-Aventis's

-- Roche

-- Abbott

-- UCB

-- GlaxoSmithKline

-- Wyeth

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c31676

Source: Decision Resources, Inc.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category