On Feb.24,2014,the U.S.Food and Drug Administration approved Myalept(metreleptin for injection)as replacement therapy to treat the complications of leptin deficiency,in addition to diet,in patients with congenital generalized or acquired generalized lipodystrophy.Generalized lipodystrophy is a condition associated with a lack of fat tissue.Patients with congenital generalized lipodystrophy are born with little or no fat tissue.Patients with acquired generalized lipodystrophy generally lose fat tissue over time.Because the hormone leptin is made by fat tissue,patients with generalized lipodystrophy have very low leptin levels.Leptin regulates food intake and other hormones,such as insulin.Patients with both types of generalized lipodystrophy often develop severe insulin resistance at a young age and may have diabetes mellitus that is difficult to control or very high levels of triglycerides in the blood(hypertriglyceridemia)that can lead to inflammation of the pancreas. On Feb. 24, 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Myalept (metreleptin for injection) as replacement therapy to treat the complications of leptin deficiency, in addition to diet, in patients with congenital generalized or acquired generalized lipodystrophy. Generalized lipodystrophy is a condition associated with a lack of fat tissue. Patients with congenital generalized lipodystrophy are born with little or no fat tissue. Patients with acquired generalized lipodystrophy generally lose fat tissue over time. Heart of the hormone leptin is made by fat tissue, patients with generalized lipodystrophy have very low leptin levels. Leptin regulates food intake and other hormones, such as insulin. Patients with both types of generalized lipodystrophy often develop severe insulin resistance at a young age and may have diabetes mellitus that is difficult to control or very high levels of triglycerides in the blood (hypertriglyceridemia) that can lead to inflammation of the pancreas.