Obecure is a clinical stage, specialized pharmaceutical, company developing novel therapeutic approaches to weight management. The company was founded in 2005 by Bio-Light Life Science Investments Ltd in order to develop proprietary weight management technology and products exclusively licensed from Mor Research Applications Ltd. Its novel approach rests on targeting the neural histaminergic system, believed to play a key role in control of eating.

The company is focused on developing its proprietary drug, Histalean™, comprised of Betahistine, a known pharmacological agonist of the H1 receptor, for treating obese individuals and for preventing anti-psychotic drug-related weight gain.

Betahistine is a generic prescription drug used on a worldwide basis, except in the United States , to treat Meniere's disease (vertigo). In the US , Betahistine was approved for the treatment of vertigo in 1967, but was later withdrawn by the FDA, after the manufacturer failed to provide sufficient evidence of efficacy in this indication, although no question of safety was ever raised. In fact, the drug has an excellent safety profile, as shown in a post-marketing surveillance review, showing that after more than 130 million patient exposures, only about 550 adverse event reports were filed 1 .

Proof of concept has already been achieved in two independently conducted preliminary clinical trials, suggesting that Histalean™ has potential for weight reduction in obese patients as well as for prevention of weight gain associated with anti-psychotic drug therapy 2 .

The company has completed a double blinded, placebo controlled, dose ranging, 12 week, Phase II clinical trial in the U.S.A. to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Histalean™: in obese subjects. Analysis of the study results revealed a statistically significant effect of the drug onn weight reduction in women up to 50.

The company is also pursuing a Phase II clinical trial evaluating the therapeutic effect of Histalean™ for the prevention of weight gain associated with anti-psychotic drug therapy. In addition, Obecure is conducting exploratory research on betahistine analogs for weight management.