Focused Ultrasound-Based Weight Loss Treatment

SlimTarget Medical is applying proven focused ultrasound (FUS) technology to curb appetite and achieve weight loss in overweight patients who also suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

The Need

Obesity is an escalating global pandemic. Over 42% of adults in the U.S. are obese, incurring $147 billion per year in healthcare costs,₁ while the average percentage in Europe is 23.3%.₂ Obesity is associated with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

Millions of dollars are spent on diet and weight loss treatments, and over 250,000 bariatric surgeries for severe cases of obesity are performed every year in the U.S. alone (cost covered by medical insurance companies). However, these surgeries constitute treatment for only one percent of the overweight/obese population,₃ and as a major invasive procedure can pose serious risks and side effects.

SlimTarget Medical’s Solution

SlimTarget Medical’s MRI-guided treatment applies a focused ultrasound beam to ablate a carefully defined point in the brain that has been shown to increase appetite in patients. The delicate ablation procedure is performed applying a proven FDA-approved method.

Current trials are demonstrating that the 1-2-hour noninvasive procedure is precise, painless, requires no hospitalization or medications, and has long-term effect, making it a viable and attractive alternative to bariatric surgery.

• Reduces the number of invasive bariatric surgeries and associated complications
• Cost-saving solution relative to the $25,000 cost of bariatric surgery
• One-time treatment resulting in effective weight loss over time and consequently reducing obesity-associated comorbidities

Market Potential

No similar solutions are currently in clinical use.

The global bariatric surgery market is expected to reach USD 2.83 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 9.2%.₄

1. CDC: Adult Obesity facts. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

2. WHO: Prevalence of obesity among adults.http://gamapserver.who.int/gho/interactive_charts/ncd/risk_factors/obesity/atlas.html

3. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery 2018 estimate of metabolic and bariatric procedures performed in the United States. English, Wayne J. et al. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, Vol. 16, Issue 4, 457 – 463

4. MarketsandMarkets, Bariatric Surgery Market Report 2021