By Robin Wulffson MD for EmaxHealth.com

DUBAI, UNITED EMIRATES––An investigational weight loss drug was reported to reverse type 2 diabetes; the results were presented at the International Diabetes Federation World Diabetes Congress 2011 (December 4-8; Dubai, United Arab Emirates) The medication, which has the proposed name Qnexa, was rejected by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year. Qnexa is a controlled-release combination of phentermine, an appetite suppressant, and topiramate, an anticonvulsant.

“We need more options to treat the twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity,” said Nancy J.V. Bohannon, MD, director of clinical research in the cardiovascular risk reduction program at St. Luke’s Hospital (San Francisco, California), who presented the findings. She noted, “This could potentially be an approach that is nonsurgical for treating obesity and improving glycemic control.” Dr. Bohannon, who is a consultant to, serves on the advisory board of, and holds stock in Vivus (Mountain View, California), the company that manufactures the drug.