Weight Loss With QNEXA® Over Two Years Provides Patients With Substantial Cardiovascular Benefits

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- VIVUS, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) today announced long-term data that demonstrated patients treated with the investigational drug QNEXA® for two years showed reductions in blood pressure and the use of antihypertensive medications as well as improvements in lipid levels following significant reductions in weight loss as compared to those in the placebo group over two years.

The data – additional results from the SEQUEL study – were presented Sunday at the 60th Annual Scientific Meeting of The American College of Cardiology by Michael Davidson, M.D., clinical professor and director of preventive cardiology at The University of Chicago.

Specific results are as follows:

• Patients on QNEXA had significant reductions in weight loss as compared to those in the placebo group over two years. Least-squares mean percent weight loss at week 108 was -9.3% and -10.5%, respectively, for the mid and top dose as compared to -1.8% for the placebo group.
• Overall, patients taking QNEXA showed a significant reduction in the number of antihypertensive medications they required as compared to those taking a placebo over two years of treatment.
• Specifically, patients with hypertension at the beginning of the study taking QNEXA mid and top dose showed a significant reduction in the number of antihypertensive medications they required of -9.8% and -18.9%, respectively, while patients taking a placebo showed a net increase of +4.2%.
• Dyslipidemic patients at baseline treated with the mid and top dose of QNEXA had decreases in triglycerides of -25.9% and -26.3%, respectively, as compared to -14.3% for the placebo group.
• Dyslipidemic patients at baseline treated with the mid and top dose of QNEXA had improvements in HDL-C of +11.4% and +16.7%, respectively, as compared to +9.1% for the placebo group.

"In this study, QNEXA patients on the top dose had sustained weight loss greater than 10% over two years. This weight loss led to clinically relevant reductions in blood pressure, triglyceride reduction greater than 25%, and a dramatic increase in HDL levels," stated Dr. Davidson. "Achieving and maintaining this degree of weight loss, one that impacts cardiovascular risk in a clinically meaningful way, is often difficult for patients. Maintaining double-digit weight loss over two years, with resulting improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and an overall reduction in medications used to treat comorbidities makes this important data for clinicians."  

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