It might look like a drug, but a new weight loss pill under development by a Wellesley, Massachusetts startup is actually a device in disguise. Allurion Technologies has created what’s essentially an intragastric balloon – like the ones marketed overseas by Allergan (NYSE: AGN) and Reshape Medical – that fills up the stomach with the intention of inducing a feeling of satiety that would help overweight and obese patients eat less and lose weight. But the twist for Allurion is that its device isn’t inserted via endoscopy while the patient is under sedation – it’s condensed in the form of a capsule and swallowed by the patient along with a glass of water.
