Setmelanotide: new promise for the treatment of hypothalamic obesity?
With the increase in obesity prevalence worldwide, considerable efforts have been made to investigate the molecular and neurohormonal mechanisms of bodyweight control, as a means to identify novel therapeutic targets. As a paradigmatic example, characterisation of the physiological actions of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) paved the way for development of long-acting GLP-1 analogues that are revolutionising the pharmacological management of obesity.1 Similarly, recognition of the fundamental roles of the leptin–melanocortin system in bodyweight homeostasis has opened up potential pathways to manage some forms of obesity.