An unknown "neutraceutical company" represented by an equally unknown advertising agency has launched a major internet public relations blitz designed to fool the millions of obese people waiting for diet drug Acomplia (rimonabant) into buying a mystery weight loss pill called "Accomplix."

This new "weight loss product" is being offered by a company called Advanced Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and marketed by an ad agency called Zen Worldwide. In some releases, the pill is endorsed by something called the Obesity Research Center. Press releases provide no clue where any of these are located.

But in the various press releases that have popped up in various search engines since Sept. 8th, Accomplix is described as a novel approach to weight loss that "works to control appetite, increase metabolic function, and suppress cravings."

"The craving suppressant action is the most unique aspect of the product," said a Max Romero, who is described as President of Research and Development. "Initial studies showed that ingredients played an important role in affecting specific receptor sites responsible for cravings."

The news releases provide no information, of course, either as to what these ingredients -- or the "mechanism of action" Romero talks about -- might be.

But if some of these words like "metabolic" and "receptor" sound familiar, they obviously are have been carefully chosen to resonate with people eager to obtain the highly anticipated Sanofi-Aventis prescription drug Acomplia, which is now available in Europe but still awaits action by the FDA.

These news releases promoting Accomplix, which now turn up in Google searches by people looking for diet drugs or diet pills, illustrate the difficulty regulators have in dealing with misuse of the internet by clever promoters pushing mystery products.

We've had inquiries today from several readers, who were directed by the news releases to a website where they allegedly could buy Accomplix -- but instead found a generic "under construction" page.

For those interested in playing detective, the registrant of this website is listed in WHOIS as "NOLDC," and more can be found by entering NOLDC in Google.

We have no further interest in chasing shadows. All we have to say on this is: "Accomplix" is NOT Acomplia. Consumers Beware!