Is Orlistat on the market?

Orlistat (Orlistat) 120 mg was approved as a prescription drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1999 for the management of obesity in combination with a low-calorie diet and to reduce the risk of weight regain after previous weight loss. In 2007, Alli (orlistat 60 mg) was approved as an over-the-counter medication for weight loss in overweight adults 18 years of age and older, when used in conjunction with a low-calorie and low-fat diet.

Orlistat is a reversible inhibitor of gastrointestinal lipase and exerts its therapeutic activity in the lumen of the stomach and small intestine by forming covalent bonds with the active serine residue sites of gastric and pancreatic lipases. Therefore, the inactivated enzyme is unable to hydrolyze dietary fat in the form of triglycerides into absorbable free fatty acids and monoglycerides. Since undigested triglycerides are not absorbed, the resulting caloric deficit may have a positive impact on weight control. In addition to its benefits, orlistat is also known for its gastrointestinal side effects (sometimes called therapeutic effects), including steatorrhea (oily, loose stools). However, they decrease over time and are the most commonly reported side effects of this drug.

The original drug of Orlistat will be approved by the State Food and Drug Administration in 2022 and will be launched in China, but it has not yet entered the scope of medical insurance. There are also domestic drugs developed by other pharmaceutical companies on the market. The price of each box may be around tens of RMB, which is cheap. The price of the Indian version of Orlistat, 120mg*84 capsules, sold overseas may be around a few hundred yuan per box (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates). The ingredients of the two drugs are basically the same, but the manufacturers are different. Patients can choose by themselves.