U.S.-based Allurion Technologies has announced its weight management solution in India to cater to a large segment of Indian who are obese and diabetic.
A four months’ programme would cost $3 lakh. The company has announced to open 50 centres in India with a “target to reduce the weight of 10,000 people” in this year.
The company on Wednesday rolled out its swallowable capsule, a medical weight-loss device approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the regulatory authority of India overseen by Directorate General of Health Services.
The company said its programme is suited for people who are unable to achieve their weight-loss goals by dieting alone, or for those who do not want to, or cannot, undergo invasive surgery or endoscopy. “It may also be suitable as a treatment for weight-related co-morbidities including diabetes, infertility, or cardiovascular disease,” the company said.
A patient needs to swallow the Allurion swallowable capsule that contains a deflated gastric balloon. Once in the stomach, a healthcare professional uses a catheter to inflate the balloon with 550ml of liquid – no surgery, endoscopy or anaesthesia is required.
The balloon – roughly the size of a grapefruit – takes up space in the patient’s stomach, creating a feeling of fullness and reducing food intake. The balloon reduces feelings of hunger, and in approximately 16 weeks, it automatically deflates and passes out of the body naturally.
The company said its programme has treated more than 1,00,000 patients globally.
“As someone of Indian origin, India is a special market for Allurion. It is part of my personal mission to bring our revolutionary technology to India to help end obesity and diabetes,” said Dr. Shantanu Gaur, founder and CEO, Allurion.
The programme is being offered in partnership with Dr. Mohit Bhandari of Mohak Bariatrics, a bariatric and endoscopic weight-loss surgeon practising in India.
