Allurion Announces Plans To Combine GLP-1 Therapy With The Allurion Balloon to Treat Obesity

Rhea-AI Summary

Allurion Technologies (NYSE: ALUR) has announced plans to initiate a clinical study combining the Allurion Balloon with GLP-1 agonists to treat obesity. The study aims to demonstrate improved long-term tolerability and adherence to GLP-1 therapy using lower doses.

Current data shows that 30% of patients discontinue GLP-1 therapy within the first month, and 58% stop before achieving meaningful health benefits due to side effects, dose escalation requirements, and cost. Previous research, published in Obesity Surgery, demonstrated enhanced weight loss and co-morbidity resolution at four months when combining the Allurion Balloon with oral semaglutide compared to balloon therapy alone.

Positive

• Previous clinical data shows enhanced weight loss when combining Allurion Balloon with oral semaglutide
• Potential to improve GLP-1 therapy adherence rates and reduce side effects
• Strategy could lead to increased long-term utilization of medication

Negative

• Current GLP-1 therapy has 58% discontinuation rate before meaningful benefits
• Study is still in planning phase with no guaranteed outcomes

Insights

Medical Research Analyst

This strategic initiative by Allurion represents a potentially transformative approach in the $2.5 trillion global obesity treatment market. The company's plan to combine their proprietary balloon system with lower-dose GLP-1 agonists addresses three critical market challenges:

• Patient Adherence: Current 58% discontinuation rate of GLP-1 therapy before achieving meaningful benefits represents a significant market inefficiency and healthcare burden
• Cost Optimization: Lower GLP-1 dosing could substantially reduce treatment costs, currently averaging $1,000-$1,500 monthly for standard GLP-1 therapy
• Treatment Efficacy: Previous studies showing enhanced outcomes with combination therapy suggest potential for superior weight loss results while minimizing side effects

The market implications are substantial. By potentially improving GLP-1 therapy adherence, Allurion could capture a significant portion of the rapidly growing obesity treatment market. The approach could create a new standard of care that benefits multiple stakeholders: patients achieve better outcomes, healthcare providers maintain longer patient relationships, and pharmaceutical companies see improved medication adherence rates.

However, several critical factors warrant attention: The timeline for clinical trials and potential regulatory approval remains undefined, suggesting revenue impact may be 12-24 months away. Additionally, the company will need to navigate complex reimbursement landscapes and establish pricing strategies that maintain profitability while ensuring accessibility.

The previous successful randomized, double-blind study provides important validation for this approach, potentially reducing regulatory hurdles and accelerating market adoption. This positions Allurion uniquely in the obesity treatment space, offering a hybrid solution that could bridge the gap between medical devices and pharmacotherapy.

NATICK, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Allurion Technologies, Inc. (“Allurion” or the “Company”) (NYSE: ALUR), a company dedicated to ending obesity, today announced its intention to initiate a clinical study on the combination of the Allurion Balloon with GLP-1 agonists. The study will focus on combination use of the Allurion Balloon with lower dose GLP-1s with the goal of demonstrating improved long-term tolerability and adherence to GLP-1 therapy.

Previous studies have shown that 30% of patients discontinue GLP-1 therapy within the first month and 58% discontinue before reaching a clinically meaningful health benefit¹, due in part to side effects, dose escalation required for continued weight loss, and cost.

Studies have previously demonstrated successful use of the Allurion Balloon in combination with short-term use of GLP-1 agonists. In a randomized, double-blind study, published in Obesity Surgery, patients treated with the Allurion Balloon in combination with oral semaglutide demonstrated enhanced weight loss and co-morbidity resolution at four months compared to Allurion Balloon therapy alone.²

“Low adherence and adverse side effects are significant challenges in the GLP-1 space,” said Dr. Shantanu Gaur, Founder and CEO of Allurion. “Early data suggests that by combining GLP-1s with the Allurion Balloon, patients can achieve far more sustainable weight loss than with GLP-1s alone. We believe that the combination can reduce side effects and keep patients on GLP-1s for longer periods as well as create an on-going patient-doctor relationship. If proven, this could lead to multiple wins for patients, providers, and pharma: more patients with sustained weight loss, more longitudinal and profitable practices for providers, and higher long-term utilization of medication for pharma.”

About Allurion

Allurion is dedicated to ending obesity. The Allurion Program is a weight-loss platform that combines the Allurion Gastric Balloon, the world’s first and only swallowable, procedure-less^TM gastric balloon for weight loss, the Allurion Virtual Care Suite, including the Allurion Mobile App for consumers and Allurion Insights for healthcare providers featuring the Iris AI Platform, and the Allurion Connected Scale. The Allurion Virtual Care Suite is also available to providers separately from the Allurion Program to help customize, monitor, and manage weight-loss therapy for patients regardless of their treatment plan. The Allurion Gastric Balloon is an investigational device in the United States.

For more information about Allurion and the Allurion Virtual Care Suite, please visit www.allurion.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal and state securities laws. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “consider,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “target,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions and include statements regarding Allurion’s plan to initiate a clinical study to focus on the combination of the Allurion Balloon and GLP-1s, the ability of such study to demonstrate improved long-term tolerability and adherence to GLP-1 therapy, the potential of such combination to reduce side effects and keep patients on GLP-1s for longer periods as well as create an on-going patient-doctor relationship, the potential benefits of such combination if the study is initiated and completed, including sustained weight loss, more longitudinal and profitable practices for providers, and higher long-term utilization of medication for pharma, and other statements about future events that reflect the current beliefs and assumptions of Allurion’s management based on information currently available to them and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that reflect the current beliefs and assumptions of Allurion’s management based on information currently available to them and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future results or developments to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to (i) the ability of Allurion to obtain regulatory approval for and successfully commercialize the Allurion Program, (ii) the timing of and results from its clinical studies and trials, (iii) the evolution of the markets in which Allurion competes and the rise of GLP-1 drugs, (iv) the ability of Allurion to defend its intellectual property and satisfy regulatory requirements, (v) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas war on Allurion’s business, (vi) Allurion’s expectations regarding its market opportunities, (vii) the outcome of any legal proceedings against Allurion, (viii) the risk of economic downturns and a changing regulatory landscape in the highly competitive industry in which Allurion operates, and (ix) the ability of Allurion to obtain sufficient funding to initiate and/or complete any clinical studies that demonstrate positive results. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 26, 2026 and Amendment No. 1 thereto filed on April 29, 2024, the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on November 13, 2024 and other documents filed by Allurion from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Allurion assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Allurion does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

¹ https://www.bcbs.com/about-us/association-news/most-americans-stop-weight-loss-drugs-before-seeing-meaningful-benefit
² Mathur et al. Obes Surg. 2024, 34, 198-205; https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-023-06975-8

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250218492997/en/

Global Media

Hannah Lindberg

hlindberg@allurion.com

Source: Allurion Technologies, Inc.

FAQ

What is the purpose of Allurion's new clinical study combining GLP-1 with their balloon?

The study aims to demonstrate improved long-term tolerability and adherence to GLP-1 therapy using lower doses when combined with the Allurion Balloon.

What are the current discontinuation rates for GLP-1 therapy that ALUR is trying to address?

30% of patients discontinue GLP-1 therapy within the first month, and 58% discontinue before reaching clinically meaningful health benefits.

What were the results of previous studies combining Allurion Balloon with oral semaglutide?

Previous studies showed enhanced weight loss and co-morbidity resolution at four months compared to Allurion Balloon therapy alone.

How could the ALUR combination therapy benefit healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies?

It could create more longitudinal and profitable practices for providers and higher long-term utilization of medication for pharmaceutical companies.