Pharma's Market
SPECIAL REPORT
MOST SHARED
- India's Tumbling Rupee Triggers Convertible Bond Turmoil
- Marubeni Nears $5 Billion-Plus Gavilon Deal
- Greece to Leave Euro Zone on June 18: Wealth Manager
- Olympus Expected to Settle With Former CEO Woodford
- Greece Pours $22.6 Billion Into Four Biggest Banks
- Asian Stocks Decline on Spanish Debt Woes
- Spain's Borrowing Costs Near Danger Level: Bailout Next?
- Draft EU Report Attacks Italy on Economy
- Facebook IPO Fiasco: 10 Things Underwriters Got Wrong
- European Firms Plan for Greek Unrest and Euro Exit
- A New Look at the ‘New Poor’
- Six Pack: Beer Buzz of the Week
- Greek Exit Could Trigger 50% Fall in Euro Stocks: Analyst
- Under Pressure, FHA Skews to Wealthier Home Buyers
- Big Stock Upside for Hudson City Deal: Analyst
- 5 High-Yield Stocks Ready to Boost Dividends
- Yoshikami: Four Things You Need to Know About Gold Now
- Steinbock: The Euro Zone Endgame Begins
- Option Bulls Take Another Shot on Idenix
- Spain's Debt Costs Near Danger Level: Is Bailout Next?
- China Rebalances Economy by Shifting Focus Inland
- US Markets Will Be Watching Europe—And Jobs Report
- India's Tumbling Rupee Roils Convertible Bond Market
- European Companies Plan for Greek Unrest and Euro Exit
- Japan's Marubeni Nears $5 Billion-Plus Gavilon Deal
- Public Pensions Faulted for Bets on Rosy Returns
- Greece to Leave Euro Zone on June 18: Wealth Manager
- Italy 2-Year Borrowing Costs at Peak Since December
RSS FEED
Vivus' Mr. Wilson Goes To Washington
Text Size 
CNBC Correspondent
Patients on Vivus' [VVUS
Loading...
()
] late-stage developmental diet drug, Qnexa, lost an average 37 pounds in 13 months.
Now, CEO Leland Wilson is carrying that load up to Capitol Hill.
While he's in town for the annual Obesity Society meeting, Wilson is trying to make sure Qnexa has a ready-made market if or when it wins FDA approval.
But if he's successful, his lobbying efforts would also help his closest competitors Arena Pharmaceuticals [ARNA
Loading...
()
] and Orexigen Therapeutics [OREX
Loading...
()
]. The three small biopharma companies are in a race to bring new prescription diet pills to market.
The problem for OREX and ARNA is that they don't have as compelling a weight-loss number as VVUS to wield as a political weapon.
After finishing up his interview with me this morning, Wilson told me he was headed to meet with at least six senators over the next two days.
He, his competitors and obesity doctors and their patients want Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for prescription diet drugs included in the healthcare reform bill. Right now the government doesn't pay for them. And most private insurers won't pick up the tab either because they fear overuse of the drugs and all the other costs of treating an obese customer.
The CDC estimates people who are overweight have medical expenses that are 29 to 117 percent higher than those within normal weight ranges.
As obesity expert Dr. Louis Aronne pointed out in the interview I did with him on "Power Lunch," these diet drugs have the potential to save a lot of money. Shedding pounds gets rid of a bunch of other health problems, so many patients can go off other expensive pills.
With the healthcare reform bill looking like it's closer to getting done, we should soon find out if Mr. Wilson was able to throw his weight, er, 37 pounds around.
Questions? Comments? and follow me on Twitter at mhuckman
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes
