The FDA has accelerated the review of a new type 2 diabetes drug that has the potential to help patients lose weight. The drug, called liraglutide, is already approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. But in clinical trials, patients taking the drug lost an average of 5% of their body weight, compared to those taking a placebo.

The FDA is now reviewing the data to see if the drug can be approved for the treatment of obesity. If approved, liraglutide would be the first drug in a new class of drugs that work by mimicking the effects of a hormone that helps regulate appetite.

The FDA is expected to make a decision on the drug by the end of the year.