Allurion Aims to Revolutionize Obesity Treatment with Muscle-Preserving GLP-1 Therapy

NATICK, Mass. — Allurion Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ALUR) announced plans Tuesday to launch a clinical study combining its Allurion Program with GLP-1 agonists to address a critical issue in obesity treatment: muscle loss during weight reduction. The study aims to optimize muscle mass and body composition during GLP-1 therapy, which currently results in approximately 40% lean mass reduction as a proportion of total weight lost.

Previous studies of the Allurion Program, which includes a swallowable gastric balloon and virtual care platform, have shown promising results. In a study of 571 patients, participants gained 5.6% in lean body mass while losing 14% of total body weight over four months. Another study with 167 patients demonstrated a 15.7% weight reduction with no muscle mass loss.

“Reductions in lean mass and muscle wasting are significant unmet needs in the GLP-1 space,” said Dr. Shantanu Gaur, Founder and CEO of Allurion. “Our early data suggests that we may have a powerful tool in achieving more metabolically healthy weight loss.”

The Allurion Program combines three key components: the Allurion Gastric Balloon, the world’s first swallowable, procedure-less gastric balloon; the Allurion Virtual Care Suite, including a mobile app and AI-powered healthcare provider platform; and the Allurion Connected Scale. The company’s technology is currently under investigation in the United States.

If successful, the combination of Allurion’s technology with GLP-1 therapy could establish a new standard in obesity care, addressing a market projected to reach $100 billion by 2030. The clinical study represents a strategic move to position Allurion as a complementary solution to GLP-1 treatments, which have gained widespread popularity but face criticism for their impact on muscle mass.