Gelesis100, sold under the brand name Plenity, is an oral

hydrogel A hydrogel is a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer that does not dissolve in water. They are highly absorbent yet maintain well defined structures. These properties underpin several applications, especially in the biomedical area. Many hydrogels ar ...

used to treat

overweight Being overweight or fat is having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is especially common where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary. , excess weight reached epidemic proportions globally, with mo ...

and

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...

. It absorbs water and expands in the

stomach The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The stomach has a dilated structure and functions as a vital organ in the digestive system. The stomach i ...

and

small bowel The small intestine or small bowel is an organ in the gastrointestinal tract where most of the absorption of nutrients from food takes place. It lies between the stomach and large intestine, and receives bile and pancreatic juice through the pa ...

thereby increasing feelings of fullness. Possible side effects include primarily gastrointestinal symptoms, such as

diarrhea Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin wi ...

abdominal distention Abdominal distension occurs when substances, such as air (gas) or fluid, accumulate in the abdomen causing its expansion. It is typically a symptom of an underlying disease or dysfunction in the body, rather than an illness in its own right. Pe ...

, infrequent bowel movements,

constipation Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the bowel movement ...

, abdominal pain, and

flatulence Flatulence, in humans, is the expulsion of gas from the intestines via the anus, commonly referred to as farting. "Flatus" is the medical word for gas generated in the stomach or bowels. A proportion of intestinal gas may be swallowed environm ...

. It is contraindicated in pregnancy, chronic malabsorption syndromes, and cholestasis. The US Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2019 as a medical device. Gelesis100 was developed by the company Gelesis.

History

The US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Gelesis100 in April 2019 as a medical device. Gelesis100 is the first treatment of its kind for overweight and obesity. In 2022, the American Gastroenterology Association published a guideline for the management of obesity, which recommended the use of Gelesis100 be limited to clinical trials due to limited evidence.

Uses

Gelesis100 is used to treat obesity and overweight as an

anti-obesity medication Anti-obesity medication or weight loss medications are pharmacological agents that reduce or control weight. These medications alter one of the fundamental processes of the human body, weight regulation, by altering either appetite, or absorpt ...

. Gelesis100 is taken as a pill before meals with water.

Mechanism and physiology

Gelesis100 is an oral superabsorbent hydrogel, which is produced from carboxymethylcellulose and citric acid. The cross-linked product forms a hydrophilic matrix, which absorbs water. Taken in capsule form by mouth, as Gelesis100 absorbs water, it expands in the stomach and small intestine. After absorbing water, a semisolid gel structure forms, which may promote satiety and result in weight loss via reduced caloric intake.

Contraindications

Gelesis100 is contraindicated in pregnancy, chronic malabsorption syndromes, and cholestasis.

Side effects

Side effects consist of minor gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal distention, infrequent bowel movements, constipation, abdominal pain, and flatulence. Gelesis100 is not associated with any severe adverse events. However, long-term safety data beyond 24 weeks is not available.

References

External links

Official website
{{Anorectics Gastroenterology Antiobesity drugs Bariatrics Obesity Medical devices