Weight loss tech company Allurion is targeting the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMA) region after it entered a sales agency agreement with Medtronic for its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered weight loss programme.

The collaboration is another step in the close relationship between the US-based company and the medical device manufacturing giant. Medtronic is currently an investor in Allurion.

The weight loss programme includes a swallowable balloon combined with AI-powered remote monitoring software, called the Allurion Virtual Care Suite.

In a statement announcing the partnership, Allurion’s co-founder and CEO Shantanu Guar said Medtronic’s distribution channels will help offer the digital platform as a standalone product to help patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

A market model by GlobalData estimates that bariatric surgery devices across the EU5 market will be worth $21.4m by 2025.

According to Allurion, the device is the world’s first gastric balloon for weight loss that does not require a procedure for insertion, helps patients feel full, while the digital platform covers the analytics side of the treatment.  

Allurion co-founder and CEO Shantanu Guar told Medical Device Network in February: “The balloon helps you feel full, but the digital platform is keeping track of data and provides that link between patient and provider.”

“The behaviour change programme then creates a cohesive experience that allows the patient to change their lifestyle – that’s what’s unique about our platform.”

In February 2023, Allurion went public after signing a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) deal with Compute Health.