This Weightloss Implant Kills the “Hunger Hormone”

In 2019, the team developed a device called an “intragastric satiety-inducing device” or “ISD.” It consists of a stent that is lodged into the lower esophagus and a disk that sits in the opening to the stomach. In the middle of the disk is a hole that allows food to pass through, but lowers food intake and weight gain by enhancing the feeling of being full and reducing the levels of ghrelin which is produced near the top of the stomach. However, the device caused acid reflux and could migrate into the stomach. 

The newest version of the device is coated with methylene blue, an FDA-approved drug that when exposed to laser light releases singlet oxygen that kills the ghrelin-producing cells. The device was successfully tested in pigs, reducing ghrelin levels and weight gain by half compared to normal pigs, giving hope for a human application down the line.