Orexigen Therapeutics

Orexigen Therapeutics thinks it has the skinny on how to stay trim. The company is developing drugs, under the names Contrave and Empatic (formerly Excalia), intended for use by obese people who are trying to get a grip on the urge to over-eat. The products are designed to control appetite from the central nervous system and contain some of the same chemicals used in drugs approved for the treatment of smoking, alcoholism, and opiate addiction. The development-stage company is conducting late-stage clinical trials on its top two drug candidates.