Alizyme PLC, a UK company has just announced that following long discussions with the United States Food & Drug Administration with regard to the Phase 3 clinical trials of a new slimming pill called Cetilistat it is likely that the trials will begin sometime at the beginning of 2007. The new drug Cetilistat is a lipase or fat inhibitor that makes it similar to the prescription drug Xenical that is produced by Roche. The makers of Celistat say that from the evidence they have that this new drug has less side effects than Xenical.

Alizyme has spent millions on research and development of this new drug and is keen to secure a partner to help finance the rest of the testing and is busy in talks with various strategic partners. The deal with the United States FDA means that the drug has a good future and this will help to reassure potential investors in the long term financial benefits of the drug.

Xenical has been a very popular drug to help obese and overweight people lose weight and it works by blocking the fat from absorbing into the digestive system and thus it is excreted straight out of the body. While this sounds like an ideal weight loss method it can cause problems as some people develop very oily bowel movements and flatulence. Xenical must only be used as part of a fat loss diet and not just as a way to lose weight while over eating. Xenical has an active ingredient called orlistat and this drug may be launched again soon in a lower dose version called Alli that will not require a prescription.