Bulge-buster drug 'unique'

It makes a fat body think like a lean person, say the Australian developers of a new bulge-busting drug.

Biotechnology firm Metabolic Pharmaceuticals said the obesity drug, code-named AOD9604, was unique in that it stimulated the metabolism of body fat.

Other obesity drugs artificially reduce appetite or food intake.

In the drug's latest clinical trials it was administered to 300 patients, each weighing an average of 122kg, over 12 weeks. Patients receiving just 1mg of the compound lost an average of 2.8kg in that time.

If the next stage of trials are successful, the obesity drug could be on the market in 2008.