4
Medication and Supplement History
Medication Classes Associated With Weight Reduction
Hypoglycemic Agents
• Metformin
• Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors:
Empagliflozin, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin
• Acarbose
• Pramlintide
• GLP-1 RAs: Exenatide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, semaglutide
• Dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1
agonist: Tirzepatide
Anticonvulsants
• Zonisamide • Topiramate
Antidepressants
• Buproprion • Fluoxetine
Pharmacologic and Supplement-Based Obesity Treatment
(cont'd)
Previously FDA-Approved Prescription Obesity Medications
Medications previously used for weight reduction that have
been withdrawn because of safety concerns or discontinued for
commercial reasons
Amphetamine Approved in the 1940s for short-term weight
reduction; withdrawn due to high addiction
potential
Fenfluramine (part
of "Fen-Phen")
Withdrawn in 1997 after association with valvular
heart disease; phentermine monotherapy
remains available
Rimonabant Approved in Europe; withdrawn in 2007 due to
suicide risk
Sibutramine
(Meridia)
Withdrawn in 2010 for increased cardiovascular
events
Lorcaserin (Belviq) Voluntary withdrawal in 2020 due to potential
increased cancer risk
Gelesis100
Hydrogel (Plenity)
Discontinued by the manufacturer
• Several investigational agents were discontinued during
development including ecopipam, a neuropeptide Y antagonist,
peptide YY, a cannabinoid receptor antagonist, and a methionine.
