Pharmacotherapy of obesity: targets and perspectives

The search for anti-obesity agents has become one of the most exciting area s in drug discovery. Subsequent to an enormous increase in the number of po ssible molecular targets, the focus has shifted from target identification to target validation. Because important biological functions such as the re gulation of energy intake and expenditure are controlled by complex systems , an improved understanding of pathophysiology is a prerequisite for the se lection of successful development candidates for the treatment of obesity. Although most of the information on the regulation of energy balance has be en obtained from rodents, various monogenic forms of human obesity provide clinical proof of concept for some of these mechanisms. However, it is stil l not known which are the most promising clinical approaches to lowering bo dy weight and subsequently reducing morbidity and mortality.