Novel Polymer Device from Gelesis to Treat Obesity, Suppresses Appetite in Clinical Trials

Boston-based Gelesis has unveiled Attiva, a novel capsulated device that utilizes polymer science and not drug mechanisms to treat obesity, and presented positive clinical data demonstrating appetite suppression. The ingestable capsule is a super-absorbent hydrogel composed entirely from food components.
How it works:
Before a meal, take Attiva along with 1-2 glasses of water. In the stomach, Attiva particles absorb the ingested water and expand hundreds of times into a slush that builds up pressure on the stomach walls. The pressure sends satiety signals to the brain and gastric emptying is delayed. In the small intestines, sugar and fatty acid absorption into the bloodstream is also delayed, improving glycemic control. Particles degrade completely in the colon, where the water constituents are reabsorbed into the body and the particles are excreted as waste.
From the press release:

Attiva™ significantly increased the post-meal feeling of satiety and reduced hunger between meals in obese patients. This data was presented today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 19th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress.
To measure its effect on satiety, Drs. Roberto Tacchino and Serena Marchisella at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, Italy administered Attiva™ to 95 normal, overweight, and obese subjects with an average BMI (Body Mass Index) of 31. Subjects received two grams of Attiva™ versus placebo before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in a double-blind, cross-over study. Satiety was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire immediately, and 30 and 60 minutes after meals.
The results show that Attiva™ significantly increased the post-meal feeling of satiety, in addition to being safe and well-tolerated. At 30 minutes after breakfast and dinner, and at 60 minutes after lunch and dinner, Attiva™ achieved significantly higher satiety scores versus placebo. In addition, subjects who took Attiva™ prior to the start of lunch reported feeling less hungry prior to dinner. These results offer hope that Attiva™ could be a potential breakthrough approach to weight management and obesity.

Not a bad use of 15 years of polymer research!