26 March 2018 - Valeant Canada today announced that Health Canada has approved Contrave extended-release tablets for use as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults. 

Patients with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese) or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbidity (e.g., hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus or dyslipidaemia) would be appropriate patients to take Contrave.

Across four Phase III studies, Contrave patients with a BMI over 27 and a weight-related comorbidity, and patients affected by obesity (BMI over 30) lost up to four times more weight over one year by adding Contrave than with diet and exercise alone. In addition, over 60 per cent of patients taking Contrave lost five per cent or more body weight and kept it off for 56 weeks versus 23 per cent of patients taking a placebo.

Read Valeant Pharmaceuticals press release