The DEA issued its decision this week on new obesity drug, lorcaserin, placing it on Schedule IV, as most analysts expected. Finalizing this decision should be the final hurdle to its launch, which is expected in Q1 2013.
The most restrictive DEA schedule, Schedule I, contains drugs that have no accepted medical use in the U.S., a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision and a high potential for abuse. The least restrictive schedule, Schedule V, contains drugs that have a low potential for abuse. Schedule IV puts Belviq on the safer end of the scale, like phentermine, a mainstay of obesity treatment.
Lorcaserin was developed by Arena and will be marketed by Eisai Pharmaceuticals.
Click here to read more at SeekingAlpha.com and here to read the DEA decision.
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