Katie Sullivan

Gelesis

We take our cues from nature to mimic the physical properties of vegetables. We're developing biomimetic hydrogel therapies for obesity and other chronic metabolic diseases. In April 2019, Gelesis received FDA clearance for its lead product candidate, Plenity®, as an aid for weight management in overweight and obese adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25-40 kg/m², when used in conjunction with diet and exercise. Plenity is contraindicated in patients who are pregnant or are allergic to cellulose, citric acid, sodium stearyl fumarate, gelatin, or titanium dioxide. The most common side effects were diarrhea, distended abdomen, infrequent bowel movements, and flatulence. Plenity is currently available in limited release in the U.S. Gelesis' proprietary approach inspired to structurally mimic vegetables is designed to act mechanically in the GI pathway to potentially alter the course of certain chronic diseases. In addition to Plenity, Gelesis is developing additional investigational candidates such as Gelesis200, a hydrogel optimized for weight loss and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. This biomimetic hydrogel based on the Gelesis platform technology are also being advanced in other GI inflammatory conditions, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and functional constipation. Community guidelines: http://bit.ly/2Q8VfUG