1. The acyclic CB1R inverse agonist taranabant mediates weight loss by increasing energy expenditure and decreasing caloric intake.
- Author
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Addy C, Wright H, Van Laere K, Gantz I, Erondu N, Musser BJ, Lu K, Yuan J, Sanabria-Bohórquez SM, Stoch A, Stevens C, Fong TM, De Lepeleire I, Cilissen C, Cote J, Rosko K, Gendrano IN 3rd, Nguyen AM, Gumbiner B, Rothenberg P, de Hoon J, Bormans G, Depré M, Eng WS, Ravussin E, Klein S, Blundell J, Herman GA, Burns HD, Hargreaves RJ, Wagner J, Gottesdiener K, Amatruda JM, and Heymsfield SB
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Amides therapeutic use, Brain drug effects, Brain metabolism, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Double-Blind Method, Fats metabolism, Humans, Middle Aged, Positron-Emission Tomography, Pyridines therapeutic use, Amides pharmacology, Energy Intake drug effects, Energy Metabolism drug effects, Pyridines pharmacology, Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 agonists, Weight Loss drug effects
- Abstract
Cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) inverse agonists are emerging as a potential obesity therapy. However, the physiological mechanisms by which these agents modulate human energy balance are incompletely elucidated. Here, we describe a comprehensive clinical research study of taranabant, a structurally novel acyclic CB1R inverse agonist. Positron emission tomography imaging using the selective CB1R tracer [(18)F]MK-9470 confirmed central nervous system receptor occupancy levels ( approximately 10%-40%) associated with energy balance/weight-loss effects in animals. In a 12-week weight-loss study, taranabant induced statistically significant weight loss compared to placebo in obese subjects over the entire range of evaluated doses (0.5, 2, 4, and 6 mg once per day) (p < 0.001). Taranabant treatment was associated with dose-related increased incidence of clinical adverse events, including mild to moderate gastrointestinal and psychiatric effects. Mechanism-of-action studies suggest that engagement of the CB1R by taranabant leads to weight loss by reducing food intake and increasing energy expenditure and fat oxidation.
- Published
- 2008
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