Lorcaserin: a review of its preclinical and clinical pharmacology and therapeutic potential

This article provides a review of the preclinical and clinical pharmacology of lorcaserin, including its pharmacokinetic and safety profiles. Preclinical studies with lorcaserin initially focused on simple measures of food intake and body weight gain, but have now expanded to include studies on its effects on appetitive aspects of feeding behaviour and models of binge-eating. A significant number of studies have also shown that lorcaserin alters behaviours related to drug use and addiction, in rodents and non-human primates. Potential clinically-relevant effects of lorcaserin have also been reported in models of pain and seizure-like activity. Not surprisingly, the majority of clinical work with lorcaserin has focused on its effects on weight gain, and on physiological processes related to energy intake. However, results of clinical trials and experimental laboratory studies involving lorcaserin are now appearing which describe effects on a range of other behaviours and physiological functions. These include smoking cessation, cocaine self-administration, and behavioural and brain responses to food cues. All of this work suggests that lorcaserin may have therapeutic potential for a variety of disorders and conditions beyond obesity. Based on clinical experience, including the outcomes from several, large, well-powered clinical obesity trials at the approved 10 mg BID dose both pre and post approval, a priori concerns about cardiac valvulopathy have largely been allayed. How...
Source: Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research