Marlborough, Mass.-based Boston Scientific’s new Endura Weight Loss Solutions offers minimally invasive procedures for patients who want alternatives to diet, medication and bariatric surgery.
“Lifestyle changes and surgery can be effective, but they have limitations — and fewer than 1% of eligible patients receive bariatric surgery,” Brian Dunkin, MD, chief medical officer for endoscopy at Boston Scientific, told Becker’s.
Nearly 42% of U.S. adults are obese, and long-term weight loss can also be difficult to sustain, with research showing 80% of weight lost is regained within five years.
“GLP-1 drugs can help, but more than 50% of patients stop using them within two years,” Dr. Dunkin said. “Endura gives us durable options that close that treatment gap.”
The Endura portfolio includes two minimally invasive approaches: endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty and the Orbera intragastric balloon.
ESG uses the ‘OverStitch’ endoscopic suturing system to reduce the stomach’s size by 70% to 80% and slow gastric emptying, helping patients stay full longer.
Orbera, the most widely used and clinically tested gastric balloon worldwide, occupies space in the stomach for six months before removal. Both procedures are typically performed on an outpatient basis, with recovery times ranging from a few days to a week, Dr. Dunkin added.
These procedures are designed to fit into the treatment gap between nonsurgical lifestyle interventions and bariatric surgery, Dr. Dunkin said. He noted that GI specialists are well-positioned to perform these advanced endoscopic techniques, but more training is needed to ensure procedures are done “well and safely.”
According to a Boston Scientific–commissioned survey of 2,000 U.S. women ages 30 to 65, 40% think about weight loss daily, while nearly half were unaware of endoscopic procedures. Among those dissatisfied with their weight, 54% said they were actively seeking new methods
“Losing weight is personal — no single method is going to work for everyone, “ Dr. Dunkin said in an Aug.6 system release. “By introducing Endura Weight Loss Solutions, we’re meeting people where they are. It’s a new name for a different kind of approach – one that is clinically supported and minimally invasive for those who may not want to undergo surgery or take weight loss medications long-term.”
Boston Scientific is pairing the launch with Break Through, a national awareness campaign aimed at addressing patient hesitations about surgery, high-cost medications and limited knowledge of non-surgical weight loss options, according to the release.
