Taking on obesity is nearly as insurmountable a challenge as one can get in health care. Allurion is giving it a shot, and Gaur has been leading the company to an aggressive timetable.
Allurion chose World Obesity Day in March to announce its plan to treat 40,000 people by the end of the year with the Elipse Balloon, its weight loss product that’s ingested, inflated and passed through the body without any need for surgery. The company has developed an app to help further with weight management. Already, Allurion is on the market in Europe, the Middle East and South America, and it’s working hard toward winning U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
With 42% of Americans considered obese by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Allurion has an opportunity to improve or save a lot of lives. Gaur, Allurion’s CEO since 2018, is a co-founder of the company with Samuel Levy, a duo who began experimenting with weight-loss devices in their apartment while students at Harvard Medical School. Investors clearly see the potential. Allurion announced last fall when it moved to a large office space it raised $60 million in funding, and then it raised another $34 million in January.
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