Orexigen to Post Obesity Data in Race With Vivus, Arena

Orexigen Therapeutics(OREX Quote) is expected to release the first phase III data on its experimental weight-loss drug Contrave ahead of a key investor presentation Monday.

The new Contrave weight-loss data come from one of four phase III studies being conducted by Orexigen this year. The company is one of three relatively small drugmakers -- Vivus(VVUS Quote) and Arena Pharmaceuticals(ARNA Quote) are the other two -- in a race to develop the next generation of obesity drugs.

In December, Vivus announced results from a phase III study of its weight loss drug Qnexa. Arena is expected to have data from its obesity drug later this year. ...