The following is a summary of data from the North American Association for the Study of Obesity Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

• Genaera Corp., of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., reported that data from its dose-escalating Phase I clinical trial of trodusquemine (MSI-1436) showed that the compound was well-tolerated at likely clinical doses, and no serious adverse events were seen in healthy overweight and obese adults. The firm has designated 40 mg/m2 of trodusquemine as the maximum tolerated single dose for study participants because of nausea. The company also reported that data from a preclinical trial of trodusquemine confirmed that trodusquemine is a selective inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, and its central and peripheral effects provide promise for the simultaneous treatment of both Type II diabetes and obesity.

• Orexigen Therapeutics Inc., of San Diego, said that preclinical data showed that the combination of bupropion and naltrexone, the two components of the firm's obesity compound Contrave, resulted in a 94 percent reduction of food intake in obese mice, which was greater than either drug alone. The data also showed that the drugs act in a part of the brain where food reward pathways are located, and that the combination directly increased firing of neurons associated with reduction in food intake and satiety. The study examined the effects of bupropion, naltrexone and the combination of bupropion plus naltrexone in both lean and obese mice.

• Vivus Inc., of Mountain View, Calif., reported that data from a Phase II clinical trial of Qnexa, a combination therapy of topiramate and phentermine, showed that patients receiving the compound had significantly greater improvements than the topiramate and placebo groups in the physical function, self-esteem and public distress domains, with the greatest improvement occurring in self-esteem. Although all the study groups reported weight loss, the study showed that patients treated with Qnexa and phentermine alone had greater improvements in quality of life than placebo or topiramate alone. Topiramate treatment yielded more weight loss than phentermine, but without any appreciable improvements on quality of life.