Rimonabant: From RIO to Ban
Open accessAbstract
Endocannabinoid antagonism as a treatment for obesity and the metabolic syndrome became a hugely anticipated area of pharmacology at the start of the century. The CB1 receptor antagonist Rimonabant entered the European mass market on the back of several trials showing weight loss benefits alongside improvements in numerous other elements of the metabolic syndrome. However, the drug was quickly withdrawn due to the emergence of significant side effects—notably severe mood disorders. This paper provides a brief overview of the Rimonabant story and places the recent spate of FDA rejections of other centrally acting weight loss drugs entering Phase 3 trials in this context.
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The EMA has withdrawn the weight loss medication rimonabant due to reported links to increased risks of depression and suicide.
“the EMA has withdrawn the weight loss medication rimonabant, a selective cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonist, due to its reported links to increased risks of depression and suicide [70].”
From Exploring the Side Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist: To Ensure Its Optimal Positioning (2025) · cites this paper as [70]
In §4, Lessons Learned (page unavailable), the paper says the European Medicines Agency withdrew rimonabant following surveillance showing a greater risk of depressive disorders. Section 3 reports two suicides among patients taking the drug, but does not establish an increased suicide risk or say that suicide risk was a reason for withdrawal. (LLM, conf=0.87)
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References 20 · Cited by 230
Research works printed but not linked: 15
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- Authors
- Sam, A. H., Salem, V., & Ghatei, M. A.
- Affiliations
- Hammersmith Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Ghatei, Mohammad A.
- Venue
- Journal of Obesity
- Publisher
- Hindawi Limited
- Published
- 2011
- Volume
- 2011
- Pages
- 1-4
- ISSN
- 2090-0708 (ISSN-L)
- 2090-0716
- PMC
- PMC3136184
- OpenAlex
- W2067724628
- Cited by
- 230
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 5.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Obesity (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (FP7-HEALTH-2009-241592, ACF-2006-21-011)
- Medical Research Council (FP7-HEALTH-2009-241592)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (FP7-HEALTH-2009-241592 EuroCHIP, FP7-HEALTH-2009-241592)
- NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre
- FP7 Health (2009-241592 EuroCHIP)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Keywords
- rimonabant, CB1 receptor antagonism, endocannabinoid system, obesity treatment, metabolic syndrome, anti-obesity drugs, drug withdrawal, mood disorders
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