In full transparency, the following press release and photos have been submitted to SOURCE Media through its US business communications service.
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NATICK – Allurion, the company working to end obesity, has received approval to launch its revolutionary gastric balloon technology in Brazil.
The Allurion Balloon – known in Brazil as the Elipse Balloon – is the first and only intragastric weight loss balloon that can be placed and removed routinely without surgery, endoscopy or anesthesia1. Allurion Balloon is now available in 60 countries after launching in Brazil.
Obesity prevalence in Brazil increased from 11.8% in 2006 to 20.3% in 2019.
By 2030, nearly 30% of Brazil’s adult population will be obese.
As a result, Allurion estimates that approximately 1.3 million consumers in Brazil will be eligible and considered a potential market for the Allurion program.
PhD. Shantanu Gaur, co-founder and CEO of Allurion, said the need to tackle obesity in Brazil is more urgent than ever.
“Obesity is one of the most significant health challenges in Brazil today (Friday, October 28). We welcome the approval of ANVISA and we look forward to working with healthcare professionals and other weight loss experts to end obesity in the country.”
Benoit Chardon, Allurion’s chief commercial officer, said the approval was just the company’s latest move into a market where obesity is a serious health challenge.
“We are confident in our future success in Brazil because of our three main strengths: the revolutionary nature of our device, the program-free nature, the comprehensive nature of our program, which includes an AI-driven remote patient monitoring system and behavioral change program, complemented by the equipment, and the experience we have accumulated after treating more than 100,000 patients worldwide,” he said.
Allurion plans to be available in 5 clinics in Brazil, with another 7 opening soon. Like other markets, Chardon said Allurion will first offer the program in partnership with clinics. “We want to guarantee a first-class experience for all patients: only the most experienced teams and clinics will be trained to deliver this complex program,” he said.
To date, the company has demonstrated clear product-market fit in over 50 countries and has grown revenue by 100% year over year over the past 6 years. With launches this year in Australia, Canada, Mexico, India and now Brazil, the company has nearly doubled its footprint in the past 12 months.
PhD. Eduardo Grecco, a gastric surgeon and endoscopist at the Instituto Endovita in Sao Paulo, Brazil, welcomed additional tools to help fight obesity.
“According to our local health monitoring agency, Secretária de Vigilância em Saúde, around 20% of adults are currently obese and another 36% are overweight. That’s almost 95 million people,” he said.
“Over the past 10 years, we’ve seen an 80 percent increase in obesity, especially among people aged 25 to 45. This has knock-on effects for other diseases where obesity is a major risk factor.”
PhD. Manoel Galvao Neto, head of bariatric endoscopy at Mohak Bariatric and Robotics and scientific director of the Instituto Endovitta, agrees. “It’s really important that we take action now to help these people lose weight. Having a tool like the Allurion Program at our disposal will be a game changer.”
About Allurion Balloon (sold as Elipse Balloon in Brazil)
- The Allurion Swallowable Gastric Balloon is the world’s first and only program-free weight loss device.Routine placement or removal does not require surgery, endoscopy, or anesthesia1. In Brazil, it is suitable for adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30-40
- It is part of the Allurion program, which supports patients to make positive lifestyle changes that lead to long-term weight loss. The overall plan includes support from doctors and nutritionists, as well as a suite of digital tools designed to help maximize success.
- The Allurion program is for those who cannot achieve their weight loss goals with dieting alone, as well as those who do not want or cannot undergo invasive procedures or endoscopy. It may also be useful for people who need to manage weight-related comorbidities, such as diabetes, infertility, or cardiovascular disease.
*Total market opportunity calculation based on current health statistics, revenue levels and company market penetration
** Estivaleti, JM, Guzman-Habinger, J., Lobos, J. Wait. Temporal trends and projected obesity prevalence among Brazilian adults between 2006 and 2030. scientific representative 12, 12699 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16934-5
1 In rare cases, the Allurion Balloon may require endoscopic or surgical intervention to remove
Allurion is committed to ending obesity. The Allurion Program is a 360-degree weight loss experience featuring the Allurion gastric balloon, the world’s first and only swallowable, program-free1 Gastric balloons for weight loss, Allurion Virtual Care Suite (including the Allurion mobile app for consumers), Allurion Insights with the Iris AI platform for clinicians, and Allurion Connected Scale and Health Tracker devices. Allurion VCS is now available to providers separately from the Allurion plan to help customize, monitor and manage weight loss therapy for patients regardless of their treatment plan: gastric balloon, surgery, medical or nutrition. The company is headquartered in Natick.