Gelesis is a privately owned company located in Boston, and its primary purpose was to design an innovative weight-loss pill that would have the same effect as weight loss surgery, without being so invasive. Throughout the years, there have been many drugs claimed to treat obesity, and their sales were relatively modest, mainly due to the lack of effectiveness, as well as safety concerns associated with their use. Nonetheless, this new weight-loss pill comes with high hopes for regulatory approval.
The mechanism of action of this capsule, named Gelesis100, is relatively simple: it is seen as a medical device rather than a pill, and it is made of small particles that automatically swell up in the stomach when they come into direct contact with water. These tiny particles swell to 100 times their normal size and usually get mixed with food, thus creating a larger volume that will fill you up faster and more efficiently. The particles are then slowly degraded by your body’s large intestine and eventually excreted.
This pill is similar to balloons that are inserted into the stomach of the patient and then slowly inflated, although it is believed that Gelesis100 can be a lot safer and more efficient. If the product gains approval in the near future, it will be widely marketed as one of the safest, fastest and most efficient way to lose weight among those who are overweight or obese, without having to go through surgery or invasive treatment.
