By Meena Krishnamsetty - July 31, 2012 | Tickers: ARNA, VVUS | 0 Comments

Meena is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited.

Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARNA) and Vivus (NASDAQ: VVUS) are battling in the minds of investorsas each promises a drug with the potential to cause weight loss, a sure moneymaker in a country in which many people are unhappy with their weight. Vivuss drug, Qsymia (also known as Qnexa), was approved by the FDA earlier this month. Arenas Belviq has also been approved, though it should come to market later than Qsymia if both drugs are released on schedule. At a basic level, the contest between the two drugs is between efficiency and safety concerns, while the contest between the two companies involves the marketability of their drugs and their ability to profit.

While Qsymia is somewhat more effective than Belviq, according to study data, the gap is not particularly large: Belviq trial subjects lost 3-4% of their body weight in one year, and some subjects saw much larger losses, compared to Qsymias average of 10% of body weight lost in the highest tested dose. In addition, one of Qsymias active ingredients has been shown to increase the risk of birth defects; again, the safety gap might not be particularly large in Belviqs favor, with Arena attempting to rule out potential cancer and heart health risks from the drug. However, given these differences, even if patients might tend to prefer Qsymia, physicians might encourage them to take Belviq, at least at first. Doctors might also spin the information provided in order to encourage their patients to go with Arenas drug and therefore reduce the risk of complications and expensive legal disputes.

Clearly the strengths and weaknesses of the two drugs convert to advantages and disadvantages of each company relative to the other, but each has an additional drawback. Arena has an agreement to only receive a minority of the revenue from Belviq sales in the US, with the remainder going to a partner who will market the drug and also cover much of the costs of additional clinical trials; Vivus has no such agreement. Vivuss problem is less certain, but potentially more damaging. Citron Research, a group which publishes investigations of stocks which it believes have had their prospects tremendously overvalued by the Street, turned its sights on the company earlier this month. The stock has fallen about 13% since Citron claimed that one of the compounds used in Qsymia is under patent protection for weight loss treatment and that the drug is a combination of two widely available generics, among other accusations. Unless investors have the legal background to analyze and reject these claims, or are willing to take substantial financialrisk, they may want to avoid the stock. Citron and many critics of Vivus also discuss insider selling activity at the company (see a history of insider selling at Vivus).

Between the two, hedge funds have generally bet on Vivus despite the dispute over the companies product offerings. According to 13F filings, Daniel Golds QVT Financial owned 8.2 million shares of VVUS at the end of March 2012. This made it the largest holding in his 13F portfolio, and made QVT the largest hedge fund holder of the stock. QVT is also the largest hedge fund holder of ARNA, according to the same filings, but only owned 3.3 million shares; taking the two stocks prices into account, QVTs position in VVUS was 18 times larger (see the rest of QVTs portfolio). Passport Capital, managed by John Burbank, increased its holdings of VVUS in the first three months of 2012 to 7.4 million shares (find other stock picks from Passport Capital).

We think that intellectual property issues and insider selling at Vivus are causes for concern, and our guess is that, barring any unforeseen developments, doctors will tend to recommend the somewhat safer Belviq to their patients, with Qsymia being a plan B in the event the first drug is not effective enough. This is particularly true for patients who are seeking to lose weight for cosmetic rather than purely medical reasons, a large segment of the market for a weight loss drug. While Arena would not fully benefit from Belviqs market opportunity, the stock may be a better buy than Vivus.

This article is written by Matt Doiron and edited by Meena Krishnamsetty. They don't own shares in any of the stocks mentioned in this article.The Motley Fool has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.If you have questions about this post or the Fools blog network, click here for information.

Meena Krishnamsetty is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network

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Arena Pharmaceuticals vs. Vivus: Which Is a Better Weight Loss Drug for Investors?

According to a recent American Medical Association study, its more important to be fit than thin.

After studying more than 900 women over a four year period, of which 76% were overweight, the head researcher, Dr. Timothy Wessel of the University of Florida, concluded that, when it comes to cardiovascular disease prevention, the most important action to take is exercise.

Following the Research to Cardiovascular Health

This in depth study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. And it clearly shows that, according to Dr. Wessel, the lack of physical fitness is a stronger risk factor for developing heart disease, than being overweight or obese.

During the study, 50% of the women suffered coronary problems like heart attack or stroke.

Researchers then analyzed the results by categorizing their weight and activity level. The researchers discovered that the women who were more active on a regular basis, no matter how much they weighed, had stronger, healthier hearts than the less active women.

Physical activity, even if its just something simple like taking a walk around the block or climbing a flight of stairs, has a beneficial effect on many factors related to heart disease.

And to top it off, the benefits of exercise even include weight loss. Thats one reason the American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity at least five days a week, for both prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease.

Of course, even though physical activity may be more important than weight loss as a prevention factor for heart disease, being overweight or obese is still a major risk factor.

And maintaining a healthy normal weight also reduces the risk of many other serious conditions, such as diabetes, stress and psychological disorders, arthritis and even some types of cancer.

Excerpt from:
Exercise or Weight Loss to Prevent Heart Disease?

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 31, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - Phoenix Integrative Medicine, the leading Scottsdale weight loss clinic, is now offering the Modified HCG Diet for a significantly reduced price of $149. The veteran weight loss doctor at the clinic, Dr. Andrea O'Connor, maintains over a 90% success rate with the HCG Diet Scottsdale program. A B-12 injection is included with the program as well.

The conventional HCG Scottsdale program only permits a person's diet to include 500 calories a day. With the modified HCG program though, individuals are allowed over 1000 daily calories with a larger variety of foods. Also, patients are able to participate in increased activity, whereas, the traditional HCG diet does not permit any exercise at all.

Along with incorporating a higher amount of calories in the diet, the modified program also includes a higher HCG dose, with the resulting weight loss seen being no different than the traditional program. The modified program is better tolerated by people than the initial restrictive program.

"The modified program we utilize works significantly better than the conventional, restrictive HCG diet. People have more energy, no headaches, and we have also seen it helping reduce chronic pain anecdotally. Our success rate exceeds 90% with the modified program," said Medical Director Dr. Andrea O'Connor.

Also included with the modified program are 2 follow up clinic visits along with a B12 injection, which helps with jump starting weight loss and boosting energy. The average weight loss seen with the modified HCG program exceeds 30 pounds, regardless of whether the HCG sublingual drops or injections are used. Dr. O'Connor uses both types of HCG.

People interested in the modified HCG program at this $149 special rate should call (480) 252-3799 for more information and scheduling. People may also schedule directly on the website.

This article was originally distributed on PRWeb. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/scottsdaleweightloss/hcgdietscottsdale/prweb9742690.htm

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Scottsdale Weight Loss Clinic Phoenix Integrative Medicine Now Offering Discounted Modified HCG Diet Program Including ...

Public release date: 30-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jessica Collins Grimes jgrimes2@lifespan.org 401-793-7484 Lifespan

(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) Coaches can help athletes score touchdowns and perfect their golf swing, but can they also influence weight loss? Researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center say health coaches could play an important role in the battle of the bulge, according to the findings of a pilot study published online in the journal Obesity.

In the first study of its kind, obese individuals participating in a low-intensity behavioral weight loss program who were supported by either a professional health coach or a peer coach lost clinically significant amounts of weight (at least 5 percent of their initial body weight). These weight losses are comparable to the amount of weight lost by patients participating in a more intensive behavioral intervention with twice as many treatment sessions.

"Our study suggests health coaches may not only yield impressive weight loss outcomes, but that lay or peer health coaching may be particularly promising as a cost-effective obesity treatment strategy," said lead author Tricia M. Leahey, Ph.D., of The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center. "Although these findings are only preliminary, it's encouraging that lay health coaches successfully supplemented a less intensive, lower cost behavioral intervention and that their weight losses were actually comparable to those produced by professional coaches something that could be critical in this changing health care landscape."

Obesity remains a common, serious and costly disease in the United States. About one-third of American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and no state has met the nation's Healthy People 2010 goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15 percent. Obesity and its associated health problems, including heart disease and diabetes, continue to have a significant economic impact on the U.S. health care system, costing the nation hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

Health coaches have grown in popularity, yet empirical support is limited. In the health coach treatment model, health coaches supplement treatment by providing ongoing support, accountability and information to promote behavior change between treatment visits. Health coaches can be professional health care providers, such as nurses or social workers; peers, or individuals currently facing the same health problem who coach one another to support behavior change; and mentors, or master coaches, who have previously and successfully faced the same health situation.

In this randomized controlled pilot study, 44 participants took part in a group behavioral weight loss program that met for 12 times over the course of 24 weeks half the amount of sessions of a traditional treatment plan. Groups met weekly for the first six weeks, biweekly for the following six weeks and monthly thereafter.

Miriam researchers randomly assigned individuals to work with one of three different types of health coaches: a professional (behavioral weight loss interventionist), peer (a fellow group member) or mentor (a successful weight loser). During the weeks where there were no group meetings, participants emailed their weekly weight, calorie and physical activity information to their coach and received feedback. All coaches were trained on appropriate coaching strategies and feedback delivery.

While all three groups yielded clinically significant weight losses, participants guided by professional and peer coaches had the most success, losing more than 9 percent of their body weight on average, compared to just under 6 percent in the mentor group. At least half of the participants in the professional and peer coaching groups achieved a 10 percent weight loss, which research has shown can reduce the risk of a wide range of illnesses linked to obesity, including heart disease and diabetes. Only 17 percent of those in the mentor group accomplished this goal.

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Health coaches could be key to successful weight loss, study suggests

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire -07/30/12)- A new study indicates that keeping a food journal can increase the effectiveness of weight loss efforts. The makers of Hydroxycut agree that maintaining awareness regarding caloric intake can contribute significantly to the achievement of a weight loss goal.

Weight loss is a common goal for many individuals across the United States, particularly during the summer months. With "bikini season" in full swing, NY Daily News has published an article stating that food journals may assist in shedding excess pounds. The makers of Hydroxycut, a weight loss supplement, agree that monitoring caloric intake can improve the success of weight loss efforts.

According to the article, the assertion regarding the value of a food journal comes from the results of a study conducted by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, located in Seattle, Washington. These researchers analyzed the food intake of 123 women who had, before the study began, been overweight and led sedentary lifestyles. The study found that the use of a food journal assisted women in achieving their weight loss goals.

Reports the article, "Women who kept food journals and consistently wrote down the foods they ate lost about six pounds more than women who didn't. Women who reported skipping meals lost almost eight fewer pounds than women who did not, and those who ate out for lunch at least weekly lost an average five fewer pounds than those who brought in their lunch."

These results indicate that keeping a food journal is one of many best practices that should be incorporated into a successful weight loss strategy. The article goes on to provide several tips regarding the maintenance of a weight loss journal. These include writing down everything that is consumed throughout the day, not leaving it all to the end of the night; recording the feelings that accompany the activity of eating and how different foods evoke different emotions; and including how hunger levels change with different foods. Additionally, individuals are encouraged to be honest in their records, as it will only help them to achieve their ultimate health and fitness goals.

To maintain a healthy diet and accurately monitor the intake of calories, the makers of Hydroxycut agree with the article that individuals should measure their portions and read food labels. Additionally, they should pay attention to more than just the calories in each serving size, as fiber, carbohydrates, protein, and other nutrients are important in achieving weight loss.

Hydroxycut is a weight loss supplement that works in conjunction with diet and exercise. As such, users of this weight loss product are encouraged to maintain a regular exercise program and healthy meal plan to achieve their weight loss goals.

ABOUT:

Hydroxycut, America's #1 best-selling weight loss supplement brand, is a complement to regular exercise and healthy nutrition. The product's key ingredients (lady's mantle extract, wild olive extract, komijn extract and wild mint extract) have been proven to decrease BMI and, ultimately, enhance weight loss in dieting individuals. In fact, the average weight loss with these key ingredients was 20.94 lbs. in one 12-week study and 16.50 lbs. in one 8-week study. All groups followed a calorie-reduced diet. Hydroxycut is available in multiple forms, including Pro Clinical Hydroxycut Caffeine Free, Hydroxycut Herbal, and more.

For more information about this product, visit http://www.hydroxycut.com.

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Hydroxycut(TM): Food Journals May Make or Break Weight Loss Efforts

A potential new weight-loss drug created by scientists may help people shed pounds and keep them off, researchers say.

In the study, obese mice treated with the drug ate less, lost weight and experienced improved metabolic health, such as reduced insulin resistance, compared with obese mice not given the drug.

The drug appears to work by increasing the body's sensitivity to leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite. It's thought that obese people become desensitized to leptin, meaning their bodies do not respond to it.

"By sensitizing the body to naturally occurring leptin, the new drug could not onlypromote weight loss, but also help maintain it," said study researcher George Kunos, of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Because the study was conducted in mice, it's not clear whether the effects will translate to people. The researchers plan to start tests of the drug in people if it passes a safety test required by the National Institutes of Health, Kunos said.

New drug, tried method

Because obese people become desensitized to leptin, simply giving people supplements of the hormone does not promote weight loss, studies have shown. The desensitization process is thought to involve cannabinoid receptors the same receptors that are activated bychemicals in marijuana.

Activating cannabinoid receptors is known to promote feelings of hunger in marijuana smokers, and blocking these receptors has been shown to cause weight loss. However, a previously developedweight- loss drug, called rimonabant, that blocked cannabinoid receptors also caused serious psychiatric side effects, including anxiety and depression. Rimonabant was sold in Europe beginning in 2006, but was taken off the market a few years later.

The drug tested in the new study, called JD5037, was designed to not enter the brain as a way to reduce psychiatric side effects. The drug blocks cannabinoid receptors in other parts of the body, including the liver and muscle, Kunos said.

Obese mice given JD5037 daily for about a month lost 28 percent of their body weight, and reached the weight of a normal-size mouse, Kunos said. Moreover, the mice lost the weight while continuing to eat the high-fat diet that led to their obesity in the first place. The mice appeared to lose most of the weight in the first two weeks, and maintained it after that.

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Study shows new weight-loss drug may help keep pounds at bay