Recent advances in the research and development of CB1 antagonists.

The worldwide prevalence of obesity has dramatically increased over the last 30 years, yet due to modest efficacy and side effects, current treatments for obesity are inadequate. Antagonists of the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB(1)) have emerged as a highly promising therapeutic strategy for obesity, with the 1,5-diaryl-pyrazole rimonabant (Sanofi-Aventis) being the most characterized and the furthest advanced agent in the clinic. This review focuses on recent publications (2002 to 2004) that describe the effects of CB(1) antagonists both on feeding behavior and in models of obesity, and the identification and characterization of new structure classes as CB(1) antagonists.