Dexfenfluramine, formerly sold under the brand name Redux, is a

serotonergic A serotonergic substance, medication, or receptor protein is one that affects neurotransmission pathways that involve serotonin, as follows: * Serotonergic drugs ** Serotonin receptor agonists ** Serotonin receptor antagonists ** Serotonin reupta ...

drug that was used as an

appetite suppressant An anorectic is a drug that reduces appetite, resulting in lower food consumption, leading to weight loss. These substances work by affecting the central nervous system or certain neurotransmitters to create a feeling of fullness or reduce the desi ...

to promote

weight loss Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health, or physical fitness, refers to a reduction of the total body mass, by a mean loss of fluid, body fat (adipose tissue), or lean mass (namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon, and other conn ...

. It is the d-

enantiomer In chemistry, an enantiomer (Help:IPA/English, /ɪˈnænti.əmər, ɛ-, -oʊ-/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''ih-NAN-tee-ə-mər''), also known as an optical isomer, antipode, or optical antipode, is one of a pair of molecular entities whi ...

fenfluramine Fenfluramine, sold under the brand name Fintepla, is a serotonergic medication used for the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome and Lennox–Gastaut syndrome. It was formerly used as an appetite suppressant in the treat ...

and is structurally similar to

amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from Alpha and beta carbon, alpha-methylphenethylamine, methylphenethylamine) is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, an ...

, but lacks any psychologically stimulating effects. Dexfenfluramine was, for some years in the mid-1990s, approved by the United States

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

(FDA) for the purposes of

. However, following multiple concerns about its cardiovascular side effects, the FDA withdrew the approval in 1997. After it was removed in the US, dexfenfluramine was also pulled out in other global markets. It was later superseded by

sibutramine Sibutramine, formerly sold under the brand name Meridia among others, is an appetite suppressant which has been discontinued in many countries. It works as a serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) similar to certain antidepressant ...

, which, although initially considered a safer alternative to both dexfenfluramine and

, was likewise removed from the US market in 2010. The drug was developed by Interneuron Pharmaceuticals, a company co-founded by

Richard Wurtman Richard Wurtman (March 9, 1936 – December 13, 2022) was an American neuroscientist who spent his career doing basic and translational neuroscience research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Wurtman co-founded Interneuron Pharmaceuticals ...

, aimed at marketing discoveries by

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

scientists. Interneuron licensed the patent to

Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. was a pharmaceutical company until it was purchased by Pfizer in 2009. The company was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1860 as John Wyeth and Brother. Its headquarters moved to Collegeville, Pennsylvania, a ...

. Although at the time of its release, some optimism prevailed that it might herald a new approach, there remained some reservations amongst neurologists, twenty-two of whom petitioned the FDA to delay approval. Their concern was based on the work of George A. Ricaurte, whose techniques and conclusions were later questioned.

References

External links

Drug description

* ttps://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/prescription/interviews/lutwak.html Frontline: Dangerous prescriptions��Interview with Leo Lutwak, M.D. in which he discuses the side effects of fenfluramine, its successor Redux, and the

Fen-Phen The medication, drug combination fenfluramine/phentermine, usually called fen-phen, is an anti-obesity medication that is no longer widely available. It was sold in the early 1990s, and utilized two anorectics. Fenfluramine was marketed by Americ ...

combination {{Phenethylamines 5-HT2B agonists Cardiotoxins Enantiopure drugs Serotonin receptor agonists Serotonin releasing agents Substituted amphetamines Trifluoromethyl compounds Withdrawn anti-obesity drugs Withdrawn drugs

See also

References

External links