New treatment for genetic obesity available in the NHS

We are excited to announce patients with three genetic conditions which cause obesity (POMC, PCSK1, LEPR) can now be treated with Setmelanotide, a Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonist in the NHS following approval by NICE. Results from Phase 3 clinical trials (PMID: 33137293) showed that treatment with this MC4R agonist was safe and effective in children (above the age of 6 years) and adults with bi-allelic mutations in these genes (where both copies of the gene are faulty). People who were treated experienced a reduction in their severe hunger and lost weight. They also reported improved quality of life. This development is particularly exciting for us after many years of working on the MC4R pathway. Patients with these conditions can now be referred to Prof Farooqi, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge for this treatment which is called Imcivree. This medication was approved by NICE as a Highly Specialised Technology in July 2022. This paves the way for a range of medications, which may be helpful to treat other genetic conditions causing severe childhood onset obesity.