Arena Joins Vivus Finding Obesity Drugs Fizzle on Costs: Health
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Doctors cheered last year when the U.S. gave its first approvals for drugs to combat obesity in more than a decade. Eight months later, the two treatments have yet to catch on with consumers or investors.
New prescriptions of Vivus Inc.’s Qsymia, on the market since September, have declined 22 percent since peaking on Feb. 8, a drop that analysts say may be caused by high patient costs. That’s led investors to bet that shares of San Diego-based Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. won’t climb when its drug, called Belviq, goes on sale in the U.S. later this year.