EU approves obesity drug

London - The EU has approved the launch of an obesity drug in Britain, according to the Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche. The drug Xenical is a "lipase inhibitor," which works by helping dieters absorb less fat from food and, unlike other obesity products, acts in the intestine rather than the brain. Taken with each meal, it disables certain pancreatic enzymes and reduces fat absorption by some 30 per cent.