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To: Doc Bones who wrote (6584)	7/30/2009 7:50:15 AM
From: Biotech Jim	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 7143

The brown fat, or brown adipose tissue (BAT) work is very interesting indeed. As some may know it is this tissue system that is responsive to sympathetic nervous system stimulation (ie adrenaline coming from either nerve cells directly or from the adrenal gland). However, the BAT system is quantitatively significant in mice and in rats, and perhaps not as much in humans. In fact, there has been a debate in the literature a while back as to whether humans even had BAT. Part of the problem is these cells in man are extremely diffuse and consequently hard to identify. The beta 3 adrenergic receptor was a target for such elevation in BAT metabolism, and results from clinical studies were underwhelming in terms of efficacy, coupled with cardiac side effects. To be sure, the article and work you referenced brings forth the idea that human cells could be engineered to become BAT cells by introducing the appropriate transcription factor in an appropriate cell lineage so as to 'transform' it into a BAT-like cell. Then, upon introduction into the skin of humans, these implanted cells could help to 'burn' fat. For those interested, the July 23rd issue of the NEJM has several articles that delves into this issue. Going into the fall medical meeting schedule, I would expect that stocks/companies that are in later stage development of obesity treatments may continue their upswing (companies like OREX, ARNA and VVUS, and even perhaps AMLN). BJ