Allurion (smart cylinder for weight loss)

2024: Product Announcement

At the end of October 2024, the American company Allurion Technologies introduced a smart cylinder for weight reduction, controlled using a smartphone. The manufacturer hopes to get regulatory approval to sell the new device based on clinical data from the study.

In the study, the use of a smart balloon was evaluated in 550 patients at 17 clinical centers in the United States. Enrollment was completed in the fall of 2023, two months ahead of schedule, and Allurion expects the study to be completed by the end of 2024.

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Allurion

Installing an AI-based smart gastric balloon does not require surgery, endoscopy or anesthesia, manufacturers said. The patient only needs to swallow the balloon, which is filled with liquid and remains in the stomach for about four months, after which it independently empties and leaves the intestines naturally.

Earlier, the company faced problems distributing the new device abroad: it had to withdraw cylinders from the French market in early October. However, the company claims that positive data on the use of the balloon was obtained in the study. Thanks to this device, the study participants were able to reduce weight by an average of 22% in one year. By comparison, patients who were fitted with intragastric balloons by endoscopy for 12 months were able to reduce weight by 15.4% and 16.2%. Studies also show that installing an Allurion balloon is better tolerated by patients than installing endoscopic cylinders. The overall incidence of serious side effects with a smart balloon is on average 10 times less than other fluid-filled cylinders.^[1]

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