What is BBS?

Bardet-Biedl (pronounced BAR-day BEED-el) syndrome, also known as BBS, is a rare genetic disease of obesity

BBS has a wide range of symptoms that can
impact many systems in the body

  
What is hyperphagia?

Unlike other forms of obesity, obesity due to BBS is caused by variants, or changes, in a BBS gene. BBS genes are inherited, meaning they are passed down from parent to child.

It is important to know that BBS can be diagnosed at any age. BBS can cause a range of symptoms that may appear at different stages in life. Not everyone living with BBS experiences the same symptoms, even between family members!

In BBS, insatiable hunger and obesity are caused by a genetic change that makes it difficult for the brain's hunger signaling pathway to help you feel full. That's why medicine like IMCIVREE can help

How does my brain control hunger?

The key area of the brain that communicates being hungry or full is known as the hypothalamus. Think of the hypothalamus as a neighborhood within the brain.

MC4R pathway road

In this neighborhood, there are roads that allow trucks to travel to and from the brain. One road is called the melanocortin-4 receptor, or MC4R, pathway.

Truck delivering Messages

The trucks on this road deliver messages between the body and the brain. These messages control hunger.

Traffic Light BBS Gene

On this road, there is a traffic light, or a BBS gene, that helps guide the trucks to deliver their messages.

What causes hunger and obesity in BBS?

In people living with BBS, the signals that turn hunger “off” don’t work correctly in the brain

MC4R pathway openMC4R pathway broken

When the BBS gene is normal, without a variant (or change), the traffic light works correctly. The road (MC4R pathway) is open, and the trucks can deliver messages to the brain that the body is satisfied and doesn't need more food.

In people living with BBS, the traffic light is broken due to the change in the BBS gene

When the BBS gene has a variant (or change), the traffic light is broken, which causes a traffic jam.When the BBS gene has a variant (or change), the traffic light is broken, which causes a traffic jam.

When the BBS gene has a variant (or change), the traffic light is broken, which causes a traffic jam. The trucks can no longer travel along the road (MC4R pathway) to properly deliver messages to the brain that the body is satisfied and doesn’t need more food. Instead, the body believes that it’s still hungry.

IMCIVREE is designed to target an impaired MC4R pathway in the brain, a root cause of hunger and obesity in people living with BBS

How is BBS diagnosed?

Learn more about the signs of BBS from healthcare providers, patients, and families

FPO Video

Hear about real experiences with insatiable hunger

Learn how families and their healthcare teams are managing it together

See how IMCIVREE works
Important Safety Information

What is IMCIVREE?

IMCIVREE is a prescription medicine used in adults and children 6 years of age and older with obesity due to Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) to help them lose weight and keep the weight off.

IMCIVREE is not for use in people with the following conditions because it may not work:

  • Other types of obesity not related to BBS or other FDA-approved uses of IMCIVREE, including obesity associated with other genetic conditions and general obesity

It is not known if IMCIVREE is safe and effective in children under 6 years of age.

Do not use IMCIVREE if you have had a serious allergic reaction to it or any of its ingredients. Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can happen.

Before you use IMCIVREE, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • Have or have had areas of darkened skin, including skin discoloration (hyperpigmentation)
  • Have or have had depression, or suicidal thoughts or behavior
  • Have kidney problems
  • Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Losing weight while pregnant may harm your unborn baby. Your healthcare provider may stop your treatment with IMCIVREE if you become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant or think you might be pregnant during treatment with IMCIVREE
  • Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if IMCIVREE passes into your breast milk. You should not breastfeed during treatment with IMCIVREE

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

See the detailed Instructions for Use that come with your IMCIVREE to learn how to prepare and inject IMCIVREE, and how to properly throw away (dispose of) used syringes and needles.

What are the possible side effects of IMCIVREE?

IMCIVREE may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Male and female sexual function problems. IMCIVREE can cause an erection that happens without any sexual activity in males (spontaneous penile erection) and unwanted sexual reactions (changes in sexual arousal that happen without any sexual activity) in females. If you have an erection lasting longer than 4 hours, get emergency medical help right away
  • Depression and suicidal thoughts or actions. You or a caregiver should call your healthcare provider right away if you have any new or worsening symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, or any unusual changes in mood or behavior
  • Serious allergic reactions. Stop taking IMCIVREE and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including: swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; rapid heartbeat
  • Increased skin pigmentation and darkening of skin lesions (moles or nevi) you already have. These changes happen because of how IMCIVREE works in the body and will go away when you stop using IMCIVREE. You should have a full body skin exam before starting and during treatment with IMCIVREE to check for skin changes
  • Benzyl alcohol toxicity. Benzyl alcohol is a preservative in IMCIVREE. Benzyl alcohol can cause serious side effects, including death, in premature and low-birth weight infants who have received medicines that contain benzyl alcohol. IMCIVREE should not be used in premature and low-birth weight infants

The most common side effects of IMCIVREE include darkening of the skin, injection site reactions, nausea, headache, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, depression, and an erection that happens without any sexual activity in males.

These are not all the possible side effects of IMCIVREE. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or to Rhythm Pharmaceuticals at 1-833-789-6337.

Please see the full Patient Information for additional Important Safety Information.

Important Safety Information

What is IMCIVREE?

IMCIVREE is a prescription medicine used in adults and children 6 years of age and older with obesity due to Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) to help them lose weight and keep the weight off.

IMCIVREE is not for use in people with the following conditions because it may not work:

  • Other types of obesity not related to BBS or other FDA-approved uses of IMCIVREE, including obesity associated with other genetic conditions and general obesity

It is not known if IMCIVREE is safe and effective in children under 6 years of age.

Do not use IMCIVREE if you have had a serious allergic reaction to it or any of its ingredients. Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can happen.

Before you use IMCIVREE, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

  • Have or have had areas of darkened skin, including skin discoloration (hyperpigmentation)
  • Have or have had depression, or suicidal thoughts or behavior
  • Have kidney problems
  • Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Losing weight while pregnant may harm your unborn baby. Your healthcare provider may stop your treatment with IMCIVREE if you become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant or think you might be pregnant during treatment with IMCIVREE
  • Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if IMCIVREE passes into your breast milk. You should not breastfeed during treatment with IMCIVREE

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

See the detailed Instructions for Use that come with your IMCIVREE to learn how to prepare and inject IMCIVREE, and how to properly throw away (dispose of) used syringes and needles.

What are the possible side effects of IMCIVREE?

IMCIVREE may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Male and female sexual function problems. IMCIVREE can cause an erection that happens without any sexual activity in males (spontaneous penile erection) and unwanted sexual reactions (changes in sexual arousal that happen without any sexual activity) in females. If you have an erection lasting longer than 4 hours, get emergency medical help right away
  • Depression and suicidal thoughts or actions. You or a caregiver should call your healthcare provider right away if you have any new or worsening symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, or any unusual changes in mood or behavior
  • Serious allergic reactions. Stop taking IMCIVREE and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including: swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; rapid heartbeat
  • Increased skin pigmentation and darkening of skin lesions (moles or nevi) you already have. These changes happen because of how IMCIVREE works in the body and will go away when you stop using IMCIVREE. You should have a full body skin exam before starting and during treatment with IMCIVREE to check for skin changes
  • Benzyl alcohol toxicity. Benzyl alcohol is a preservative in IMCIVREE. Benzyl alcohol can cause serious side effects, including death, in premature and low-birth weight infants who have received medicines that contain benzyl alcohol. IMCIVREE should not be used in premature and low-birth weight infants

The most common side effects of IMCIVREE include darkening of the skin, injection site reactions, nausea, headache, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, depression, and an erection that happens without any sexual activity in males.

These are not all the possible side effects of IMCIVREE. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or to Rhythm Pharmaceuticals at 1-833-789-6337.

Please see the full Patient Information for additional Important Safety Information.