Lorcaserin: Arena's Obesity Pill Works, But FDA Questions Heart Safety

Lorcaserin Obesity Pill Works, But FDA Questions Heart Safety

WASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - U.S. drug reviewers said Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc's obesity pill appeared to help people lose weight, but questioned if the company had provided enough data to rule out heart problems with the drug.

The review of the drug lorcaserin from Food and Drug Administration staff, posted online on Tuesday, comes ahead of a meeting of an advisory panel of outside experts, which will review the drug on Thursday. The FDA posted questions to the panel earlier on Tuesday.

The FDA initially rejected lorcaserin in October 2010, citing potential cancer risks. Arena resubmitted its application with more data to show that the previous findings of tumors in rats did not apply to people. (Reporting by Anna Yukhananov; editing by John Wallace)

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