According to a research published in the journal, Neuron, the brain can detect calories in food irrespective of whether the taste mechanism is working or not. The research was conducted on genetically altered mice who could not recognize sweet taste. The new findings on the brain’s reward system may lead to increased understanding of the causes of obesity.

EnteroMedics has received the FDA’s Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) approval to conduct trials for Maestro™ System, a product that uses the VBLOC therapy for the treatment of obesity. The company’s VBLOC therapy seeks to stop the impulse to overeat by blocking the vagal nerves, which communicate feelings of hunger and fullness from the brain to the stomach.

According to a research on 2,887 patients, women who had a body mass index (BMI) of over 30kg/m2 and were suffering from breast cancer had poorer outcomes in terms of being disease-free and of overall survival, as compared to non-obese patients. The research, led by Dr. Evandro de Azambuja and colleagues from the Jules Bordet Institute in Brussels, demonstrated that obese women presented significantly more often with stage 3-4 disease and that they were less likely to have undergone ultrasound or MRI examinations. They also experienced more surgical delay and prolonged hospital stay after surgery.

According to a team of researchers led by Dr. Kaiping Yang, abdominal fat tissue can reproduce a hormone that stimulates fat cell production. The findings of the study, published in The FASEB Journal, indicated that the hormone, Neuropeptide Y (NPY), which was formerly believed to be produced only by the brain, is reproduced by abdominal fat tissue as well. Yang believes that this novel finding may lead to new therapeutic targets for combating obesity.

Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc has initiated a second Phase II clinical trial to evaluate its proprietary product, ATX-101, for the reduction of unwanted submental (under chin) fat. This clinical trial is the second in a series of Phase II studies of ATX-101 in aesthetic applications and is aimed at assessing the safety and effectiveness of ATX-101 as a “liposculpting” agent. The multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase II trial will enroll approximately 60 patients in the UK, Canada and Australia to assess safety, tolerability and efficacy across two dosing paradigms of ATX-101 in reducing small volumes of submental fat.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised consumers not to purchase or consume Total Body Formula in the Tropical Orange and Peach Nectar flavors, or Total Body Mega Formula in the Orange/Tangerine flavor. According to the FDA, the liquid dietary supplement products may cause severe adverse reactions, including substantial hair loss, diarrhea, excessive joint pain and muscle cramps, and fatigue. Total Body Essential Nutrition of Atlanta has voluntarily recalled the products that have been distributed in Alabama, Pennsylvania, California, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, Missouri, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

According to the data from Phase III study of Merck’s taranabant, obese patients taking the drug experienced substantial weight loss when the drug was combined with diet and exercise. Patients who were taking 2 mg of taranabant during the study reported double the weight loss compared to patients being treated with placebo.