Deutetrabenazine and Weight Gain
Deutetrabenazine does not cause weight gain as a recognized side effect based on integrated safety analyses from pivotal clinical trials in both tardive dyskinesia and Huntington's disease chorea. Weight gain was not reported among the common adverse events (≥4% incidence) in either indication 1.
Evidence from Clinical Trials
Tardive Dyskinesia Studies
The integrated safety analysis of deutetrabenazine in tardive dyskinesia (combining ARM-TD, AIM-TD, and RIM-TD studies with n=384 patients) identified the following common adverse events occurring in ≥4% of patients 1:
- Headache
- Somnolence
- Nausea
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
- Diarrhea
Weight gain was notably absent from this list of common adverse events 1.
Huntington's Disease Chorea Studies
The integrated safety analysis in Huntington's disease chorea (combining First-HD and ARC-HD studies with n=84 patients) identified these common adverse events (≥4%) 1:
- Irritability
- Fall
- Depression
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue
Again, weight gain did not meet the threshold for common adverse events 1.
Safety Profile Context
Deutetrabenazine demonstrated a favorable overall safety profile across both indications, with adverse event incidence being numerically similar or only slightly higher than placebo 1. The drug was generally well tolerated in long-term extension studies lasting up to three years 2.
Important Clinical Caveat
While weight gain is not a recognized side effect of deutetrabenazine itself, clinicians should be aware that the underlying conditions being treated (Huntington's disease and tardive dyskinesia) can themselves affect weight and nutritional status through various mechanisms including motor symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities, and effects of other concurrent medications 3.