Sanofi Aventis who are the makers of the weight loss drug Acomplia have given out information on a likely date for the approval of the drug. They recently announced that they are hoping and are likely to get a positive result for the diet drug by the 26th April 2007, even though this date is not a definite one. The Acomplia drug had been put on the slow path for approval by the FDA for reasons that are not officially known, but are probably to be to do with the fact that many people who used the drugs in clinical trials became depressed.

Once the approval comes out from the FDA it may still be a few months for the drug to be properly launched in the United States and so we may be looking at an early summer launch for the drug. It is also likely that the Acomplia drug will not use the same name Acomplia but will likely use the name Zimulti to promote the weight loss drug. The Acomplia diet drug is fully approved for use within the European Union and has been selling in the UK since June 2006 with good and positive feedback from doctors and patients.

While the Acomplia drug definitely sees good results with weight loss and new tests show that it is beneficial for diabetes too, it is likely that the factor that is worrying the FDA is the depressive effect it has on some people and they want to be more clear about the numbers involved. As always the FDA is being tight lipped about the issue, as is Sanofi Aventis. The labeling of the Acomplia drug in the UK does warn people to be aware of possible psychiatric side effects and it is a prescription medicine that must only be given to people with obesity or who are dangerously overweight.