Plenity (Gelesis 100) is an orally administered, non-stimulant, non-systemic aid in weight management based on proprietary hydrogel technology with a highly favorable safety and efficacy profile demonstrated in clinical studies
Plenity is currently available in the U.S. in limited release with a full launch in 2021
Boston, September 4, 2020 – Gelesis, a biotechnology company developing a novel hydrogel platform technology to treat overweight, obesity and other chronic metabolic diseases, announced it will deliver one oral presentation and two poster presentations showcasing notable efficacy data for Plenity® (Gelesis 100) at the European and International Congress on Obesity (ECO-ICO 2020).
The notable data to be presented in the oral presentation are from a subgroup analysis from GLOW, a pivotal weight loss study, assessing the safety and efficacy of Plenity in study participants reaching a Body Mass Index (BMI) of <27 kg/m². The mean BMI at baseline for this Plenity-treated subgroup was 29.9 +/- 1.56 SD. Within this subgroup, adults treated with Plenity, on average, lost 13.5% of their total body weight during the trial with the rate of weight loss tapering as participants approached a healthy BMI. After achieving a BMI of <27 kg/m², participants continued Plenity treatment for an average of 60 days. The overall safety and tolerability profile of Plenity within this group was no different from placebo.
Plenity is an oral, non-systemic therapeutic cleared by the FDA as an aid for weight management in adults with a BMI of 25–40 kg/m2, when used in conjunction with diet and exercise. The company also received a CE mark, which enables the marketing of Plenity in Europe. The novel treatment is administered in the form of capsules taken with water before lunch and dinner. The capsules release thousands of particles that rapidly absorb water in the stomach, creating small individual gel pieces with the elasticity and firmness of plant-based foods (e.g., vegetables) without caloric value. The hydrogel contributes to a feeling of fullness and induces satiety. Plenity is currently available in the U.S. in limited release with a full launch in 2021.
“Plenity presents both patients and clinicians with the opportunity for early intervention progression,” said Ken Fujioka, M.D. endocrinology researcher at Scripps Clinic and scientific advisor to Gelesis. “Based on the weight loss achieved in patients lower in the BMI spectrum, this is a scientifically-validated option for patients looking to lose as little as 10-15 pounds, or more.”
The Gelesis Loss Of Weight (GLOW) Study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study enrolling 436 adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 and ≤ 40 kg/m2, including those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. The 6-month study compared a 2.25 g dose of Plenity, administered twice daily, to placebo and was conducted at 33 sites across the United States and several European countries. Both the active and placebo arms also included a hypocaloric diet and daily physical activity. The study had two predefined co-primary endpoints: at least 35% of patients taking Plenity achieving ≥ 5% weight loss (categorical endpoint) and placebo-adjusted weight loss with a super-superiority margin of 3%. In addition, a prespecified analysis of simple superiority was also performed. The study met and exceeded the predefined categorical endpoint, with 59% of adults in the treatment group achieving weight loss of 5% or greater. The study did not meet the 3% super-superiority endpoint but demonstrated superiority of the Plenity treatment over the placebo group (–6.4% vs. –4.4%, P=0.0007). Plenity-treated individuals had twice the odds of achieving at least 5% weight loss vs. placebo (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.0,P=0.0008). In addition, 26% of the adults who completed the treatment with Plenity were “super-responders,” defined as achieving at least 10% weight loss. These super-responders achieved an average of about 14% weight loss or approximately 30 pounds. The overall incidence of adverse events (AEs) in the Plenity treatment group was no different from placebo. The most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were gastrointestinal disorders (158 TRAEs in 84 [38%] subjects in the Plenity arm, compared to 105 events in 58 [28%] subjects receiving placebo), infections and infestations(2 events in 2 [1%] subjects with Plenity and 1 events in 1 [1%] subjects with placebo), and musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders (3 events in 2 [1%] subjects with Plenity and 0 in 0 [0%] subjects with placebo). There were no serious adverse events (SAE) in the Plenity treatment group, whereas there was one (1) SAE in the placebo treatment group.
Plenity is an oral, non-systemic, superabsorbent hydrogel which has received FDA clearance as an aid in weight management in overweight and obese adults with a BMI of 25–40 kg/m2, when used in conjunction with diet and exercise. Gelesis has also received approval to market Plenity in the European Economic Area. Plenity is made by cross-linking two naturally derived building blocks, modified cellulose and citric acid, that create a three-dimensional matrix. Plenity particles rapidly absorb water in the stomach and homogenously mix with ingested foods. Rather than forming one large mass, it creates thousands of small individual gel pieces with the elasticity and firmness of solid plant-based foods (e.g., vegetables) without caloric value. The Plenity hydrogel increases the volume and elasticity of the stomach and small intestine contents and induces a feeling of fullness and satiety. Once it arrives in the large intestine, the hydrogel is partially broken down by enzymes and loses its three-dimensional structure along with most of its absorption capacity. The released water is reabsorbed in the large intestine, and the remaining cellulosic material is eliminated through the body’s natural digestive processes. Plenity is considered a medical device because it achieves its primary intended purpose through mechanical modes of action consistent with mechanobiology constructs. For more information, visit myplenity.com.
For the safe and proper use of Plenity, refer to the U.S. Instructions for Use or the EU Instructions for Use.
Gelesis is developing a novel hydrogel platform technology to treat overweight and obesity and chronic diseases related to the GI pathway. Gelesis’ proprietary approach is designed to act mechanically in the GI pathway to potentially alter the course of certain chronic 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. It was also granted a CE mark, which allows Gelesis to market Plenity in the European Economic Area. Plenity is currently available in limited supply in the U.S. Additionally, Gelesis is developing its second investigational candidate, Gelesis200, a hydrogel optimized for weight loss and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Novel hydrogel mechanotherapeutics based on the Gelesis platform technology are also being advanced in other GI inflammatory conditions, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC). For more information, visit gelesis.com or connect with us on Twitter @GelesisInc.
Katie Sullivan
+1 857 201 5309
ksullivan@gelesis.com