Exenatide as a Novel Weight Loss Modality in Patients Without Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential role of exenatide for weight loss in overweight or obese adults without diabetes. DATA SOURCES: PubMed (1946-August 2012) and EMBASE (1974-August 2012) were used to conduct a literature search utilizing the terms exenatide, weight loss, obesity, and overweight. Additional references were identified by bibliographic review of relevant articles. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Studies assessing the use of exenatide in adult subjects without type 2 diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome and reporting effects on body weight were included. DATA SYNTHESIS: Five studies were identified that reported use of exenatide in nondiabetic adults and included weight change as an outcomes measure. In all 5 of these studies, subjects taking exenatide experienced statistically significant weight loss, which ranged from 2.0 +/- 2.8 to 5.1 +/- 0.5 kg. Two of the trials were randomized, placebo-controlled studies; 1 trial was a randomized, open-label investigation; 1 study had a prospective, open-label cohort design; and the remaining study was a chart review. Adverse events experienced with exenatide were primarily gastrointestinal in nature, although each trial reported the drug to be well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity continues to be a national epidemic, while choices for effective pharmacologic treatments are extremely limited. Exenatide appears to have promising effects on weight in overweight or obese adults without type 2 diabetes. Further investigations with large, placebo-controlled trials assessing long-term weight loss as a primary outcome are warranted.