BOTHELL — Nastech Pharmaceutical Co. said Wednesday its experimental nasal spray for obesity noticeably reduced the appetites in nine out of 11 patients during a recently completed test.
The news came during the company’s discussion of quarterly financial results. In response, Nastech’s stock gained nearly 3 percent on a generally down day in the stock markets.
The company said the promising results will spur further tests of PYY, which is a hormone naturally produced by the body. As calories are consumed, the hormone is released to produce the "full" feeling most people experience after eating.
Studies have suggested that obese people may produce less PYY than others.
In the latest test, the nine patients who showed reduced appetites from PYY consumed an average of 23 percent fewer calories when they ate lunch an hour after taking the nasal spray.
"The PYY-treated subjects … stated they were less hungry, felt more full and felt they could eat less after receiving PYY compared to the placebo," said Gordon Brandt, Nastech’s executive vice president of clinical research and medical affairs.
He added that the drug seemed to have at least some effect for up to 24 hours after patients took a dose.
The financial results released Wednesday showed Nastech lost $5.9 million, or 50 cents a share, during last year’s fourth quarter.
For all of 2003, Nastech recorded a net loss of $2.1 million, or 20 cents a share. That was a big improvement from the $13.5 million the company lost during 2002.
A large factor for last year’s results was $16.3 million Nastech received when Pharmacia Corp., because of a merger, was forced to divest its rights to the apomorphine spray. In addition to the money, Nastech reacquired all rights to the drug.
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