The launch of Alli (Orlistat) – the first FDA-approved over-the-counter anti-obesity drug – is exciting news for millions of obese and seriously overweight Americans. Alli, which is expected to hit drugstore shelves this summer, is comprised of a reduced-strength formula of the popular weight-loss drug Xenical (orlistat) and is the only weight-loss drug endorsed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and made available without a prescription.
Pharmaceutical giant and Alli manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline maintains the product rights to Alli through mutual agreement with Roche, the manufacturer of prescription-only Xenical. Xenical has a steady safety record and has proven to be moderately effective in helping obese individuals lose weight. Studies indicate that when patients take prescription Xenical in combination with a weight-loss program, patients lost an average of 12.4 pounds of weight less in six months — about double the amount lost by patie
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