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American Morning

Paging Dr. Gupta: Appetite Suppressing Nasal Spray

Aired November 14, 2003 - 08:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, for many it is a Holy Grail, a medical potion that could help them lose weight. Now the use of a nasal spray to curb appetite is showing some promise. It contains a hunger-reducing hormone.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us with details.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You sound kind of skeptical about this.

COOPER: You know, it just seems too easy, too good to be true.

GUPTA: Not quite ready to order a nasal spray with your fresh green salad?

COOPER: Exactly, yes.

GUPTA: Well, we're not ready for that certainly.

But there is some interesting talk about some research that's been done in London actually, at the Imperial College out there. Looking at some specific hormone it doesn't actually curb obesity per se, but it actually may stem your appetite a little bit. It's a hormone called PYY-336. You don't need to remember that name, abbreviation just PYY. Basically. Basically, it's a hormone that's made in your small intestine in response to a meal. So when you actually eat, you release more of this hormone. Why? Because it tells your brain that you are full, that you've eaten enough food. It takes about 15, 20 minutes after you eat incidentally for his hormone to be released, which is why people who overeat very quickly have a problem with eating too much. Once this hormone actually goes to the brain, it actually blocks your feelings of hunger.

This study actually was just looking at the overall safety. Could you actually inject a hormone like this without causing any disastrous side effects, such as increases in blood pressure, heart rate or heart difficulties, things like that? It was found to actually travel safely. Whether or not it works, that's going to be the second and third phase of the study. But sort of interesting research.

COOPER: It's a very small study, I think like 15 people in this initial first human test. But why a nasal spray?

GUPTA: Well, it's interesting, as well, because they found if you give it as a pill, this particular pill. Before it can get to the small intestine, it would be broken down in the stomach. They also didn't think people wanted to inject themselves with shots before every meal. So they've been working on nasal sprays. They do nasal sprays for all sorts of different medications. This is another one as well.

And also, you know, there is a little bit of history in this PYY hormone, as well. There was a previous study, a little bit larger study done back in September. We actually followed that story, as well. Interesting at that time, take a look at the numbers, 12 obese people at that point got this hormone again and decreased their intake by 30 percent fewer calories. They also looked at lean people, people who were not obese, but also wanted to try this particular substance, 31 percent fewer calories there. So about the name numbers. It seems to work. Now the question is, can you get the formulation right to deliver it through a nasal spray?

COOPER: But this thing is still years away from any kind of actual use or anything people could actually buy?

GUPTA: That's right. There's three phases. First you make sure it's safe, then you make sure it's effective, and then you make sure it's more effective than anything else out there. Those are the phase one through three clinical trials for the FDA. That will take several years probably.

COOPER: All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 14, 2003 - 08:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, for many it is a Holy Grail, a medical potion that could help them lose weight. Now the use of a nasal spray to curb appetite is showing some promise. It contains a hunger-reducing hormone.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us with details.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You sound kind of skeptical about this.

COOPER: You know, it just seems too easy, too good to be true.

GUPTA: Not quite ready to order a nasal spray with your fresh green salad?

COOPER: Exactly, yes.

GUPTA: Well, we're not ready for that certainly.

But there is some interesting talk about some research that's been done in London actually, at the Imperial College out there. Looking at some specific hormone it doesn't actually curb obesity per se, but it actually may stem your appetite a little bit. It's a hormone called PYY-336. You don't need to remember that name, abbreviation just PYY. Basically. Basically, it's a hormone that's made in your small intestine in response to a meal. So when you actually eat, you release more of this hormone. Why? Because it tells your brain that you are full, that you've eaten enough food. It takes about 15, 20 minutes after you eat incidentally for his hormone to be released, which is why people who overeat very quickly have a problem with eating too much. Once this hormone actually goes to the brain, it actually blocks your feelings of hunger.

This study actually was just looking at the overall safety. Could you actually inject a hormone like this without causing any disastrous side effects, such as increases in blood pressure, heart rate or heart difficulties, things like that? It was found to actually travel safely. Whether or not it works, that's going to be the second and third phase of the study. But sort of interesting research.

COOPER: It's a very small study, I think like 15 people in this initial first human test. But why a nasal spray?

GUPTA: Well, it's interesting, as well, because they found if you give it as a pill, this particular pill. Before it can get to the small intestine, it would be broken down in the stomach. They also didn't think people wanted to inject themselves with shots before every meal. So they've been working on nasal sprays. They do nasal sprays for all sorts of different medications. This is another one as well.

And also, you know, there is a little bit of history in this PYY hormone, as well. There was a previous study, a little bit larger study done back in September. We actually followed that story, as well. Interesting at that time, take a look at the numbers, 12 obese people at that point got this hormone again and decreased their intake by 30 percent fewer calories. They also looked at lean people, people who were not obese, but also wanted to try this particular substance, 31 percent fewer calories there. So about the name numbers. It seems to work. Now the question is, can you get the formulation right to deliver it through a nasal spray?

COOPER: But this thing is still years away from any kind of actual use or anything people could actually buy?

GUPTA: That's right. There's three phases. First you make sure it's safe, then you make sure it's effective, and then you make sure it's more effective than anything else out there. Those are the phase one through three clinical trials for the FDA. That will take several years probably.

COOPER: All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com