Endosphere was formed in 2006 to meet an urgent need for a less invasive, safer and more physiologic treatment for the growing problem of obesity.
Today, the Columbus-based company is attracting plenty of investors based on the promise of its SatiSphere duodenal insert, which company Chairman Christopher Thorne describes as "a breakthrough technology offering a safer and more effective solution for appetite regulation and weight loss compared to the market's currently available alternatives."
Thorne says current treatments involve potentially harmful chemical medications, invasive surgical procedures, or dramatic lifestyle changes that are difficult to maintain.
"The SatiSphere device is a small, non-invasive, pre-formed memory wire that uses the body's natural physiology to regulate appetite and satiation mechanisms which slow digestion and deter excessive eating," he says. Unlike other devices, it is not attached to the body but stays in place by conforming to the natural shape of the duodenum.
The device is inserted endoscopically in a 15-minute outpatient procedure. SatiSphere slows the passage of food through the duodenum and enables stimulation of the neurons along the duodenal walls, causing them to release the body's natural appetite-suppressing hormones. This enables an earlier feeling of fullness and extends the feeling of satisfaction between meals, Thorne says.
He lists its advantages as "its safety profile, patient tolerability, affordability, ease of reversibility and repeatability, and method for achieving satiation."
EndoSphere Inc. completed a clinical trial in patients in 2008. All of the patients lost weight, with an average excess weight loss of 12 percent during the first month. The company has been approved for an expanded multi-center clinical trial in Europe.
Earlier this month, the company announced completion of an oversubscribed Series A financing round led by Broadline Capital. Investors also include Glengary LLC, Physician Investment Group LLC, Ohio TechAngels, North Coast Angel Fund and Queen City Angels.
The company, which also focuses on innovative treatments for type 2 diabetes, has added two new Ohio employees in the past six months and plans to further expand in 2011.
Source: Christopher Thorne, EndoSphere
Writer: Gene Monteith