FDA Staff Focus on Safety of Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Obesity Pill

U.S. drug reviewers on Tuesday said Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc's obesity pill appeared to help people lose weight and was unlikely to cause tumors in humans, but questioned if the company had provided enough data to rule out heart problems. Lorcaserin is one of three new potential obesity treatments vying to gain U.S. approval and be the first new weight-loss treatment on the market in over a decade, after initial rejections over safety issues. Shares of Arena were up 14 percent to $3.10 in late-morning trading on Nasdaq after the FDA posted its review online.

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