FDA Rejects Antiobesity Drug Lorcaserin

The FDA has denied approval of the antiobesity drug lorcaserin, according to the New York Times.

The drug is a highly selective agonist of central-nervous-system serotonin receptors.

The Times reports that the FDA's refusal hinged on lorcaserin's association with tumor formation in rats given high doses. The manufacturer announced that the FDA may request more studies "to obtain a more robust assessment of lorcaserin's benefit-risk profile."