Binge eating disorder is a newly recognized disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating without extreme behaviors to lose weight characteristic of bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa and it is associated with overweight and obesity in both clinical and community populations. Preliminary clinical data from a recent, small, 5-week, open-label therapeutic trial in obese patients with binge eating disorder in Germany found memantine to be effective in weight reduction and reduction of binge episodes.

We plan to study 15 male and female subjects between the ages of 18 and 65 years who have binge eating disorder (with 3 or more binge days per week in the 2 weeks prior to baseline) and have a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 50 kg/m2. During the 12-week treatment phase subjects will receive open-label memantine titrated up to 20mg/day, or the subjects maximum tolerated dose. Upon completion of the treatment phase, subjects will either taper their study medication and return for a final post-taper visit or continue on their current dose of study medication in the 12-week extension phase.