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The results were better if patients were assigned to take Contrave, but then didn’t!

Reporter: Aviva lev-Ari, PhD, RN

In patients who stayed on Contrave or the placebo, there was a 30% reduction in the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular deaths. But in those who stopped taking the drug, the benefit was a much greater 53%. In other words, the results were better if patients were assigned to take Contrave, but then didn’t! The differences were dramatic. In the off-treatment group, there were 12 cardiovascular deaths in the placebo group and 1 in the Contrave group.

Nissen started working with Takeda to craft a simple press release that would contain the more mature data. Each time Takeda would approve the release Orexigen would reject it. The process went on for six weeks, and even continued as Orexigen conducted an earnings call during which executives said that no decision about the study had been made.

Finally, he decided that the Cleveland Clinic would simply issue its own release, without the companies’ approval, after it was announced that the trial had stopped. This morning, that happened.

READ ENTIRE REPORT BY matthew Herper Forbes Staff