What Obalon Therapeutics does

Obalon Therapeutics is a medical device company that developed the Obalon Balloon System, the first and only FDA-approved swallowable, gas-filled intragastric balloon for weight loss. The device is indicated for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30-40 kg/m2 who are willing to follow a diet and exercise program, with all balloons required to be removed within six months. The product works by having the patient swallow a balloon capsule that is then inflated with gas in the stomach to induce early satiety, providing a temporary non-surgical alternative to invasive bariatric surgery; common side effects are mild abdominal pain and nausea that typically resolve within two weeks, and patients must take daily acid-blocking medication.

Originally founded in 2008 and historically based in Carlsbad, California, Obalon was previously publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker OBLN and raised approximately $194M across disclosed venture and post-IPO financing rounds between 2008 and 2019, with Domain Associates, InterWest Partners, Okapi Venture Capital, Bader Sultan & Brothers, and AMOREPACIFIC Ventures among the named institutional investors. The company sold its device through bariatric surgeons and obesity-medicine specialists using an enterprise field sales motion tied to patient referrals. Obalon has subsequently been acquired by ReShape Lifesciences, Inc., a strategic acquirer that markets an integrated portfolio of weight-loss solutions (LAP-BAND, ReShape Vest, ReShapeCare) and routes Obalon's commercial operations through Medtimo as distribution partner.

Following the acquisition, the Obalon Balloon System is currently not commercially available while ReShape integrates the product within its organization; the company operates under the ReShape Lifesciences umbrella with corporate offices at 7625 Golden Triangle Drive, Eden Prairie, MN. Headcount is reported in the 51-100 range, and the device remains FDA-approved and FDA 21 CFR Part 820 compliant. Pricing has never been publicly disclosed and is established surgeon-by-surgeon, leaving gross margin economics opaque.

Name

Obalon Therapeutics

Legal name

Obalon Therapeutics

Website

https://obalon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Obalon Therapeutics developed the first FDA-approved swallowable, gas-filled intragastric balloon for weight loss in adults with BMI 30-40. Now a subsidiary of ReShape Lifesciences, the device is FDA-cleared but currently not commercially available.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bariatric medical devices

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Weight Management & Metabolic OTC (HLAIADAI)

Keywords

• Intragastric balloon systems
• Non-surgical weight loss
• Bariatric medical devices
• Swallowable gastric balloon
• Obesity treatment devices

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Medical Device Sales: Sale of the Obalon Balloon System as a medical device to healthcare providers and bariatric clinics. The system is prescribed by doctors for patients meeting BMI criteria of 30-40 kg/m2.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Obalon Therapeutics develops and sells the Obalon Balloon System, a swallowable, gas-filled, FDA-approved intragastric balloon for weight loss. The device is indicated for adults with a BMI of 30-40 kg/m2 who are willing to follow a diet and exercise program, and must be removed within six months. The product is currently not commercially available following ReShape Lifesciences' acquisition.

Product overview

Obalon Therapeutics offers the Obalon Balloon System, a non-surgical weight-loss device. The system is the first and only swallowable, gas-filled, FDA-approved gastric balloon for weight loss. It is indicated for adults with a BMI of 30-40 kg/m2. The treatment involves swallowing a balloon capsule that is inflated with gas once in the stomach, with all balloons required to be removed within 6 months. Common side effects include mild abdominal pain and nausea that typically resolve within two weeks. The product requires patients to take daily acid-blocking medicine. Following ReShape Lifesciences' acquisition, the Obalon Balloon System is currently not commercially available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Obalon Balloon System: The FIRST and ONLY swallowable, GAS-FILLED, FDA-approved balloon system for weight-loss. Intended for adults with a BMI of 30 to 40 kg/m2 willing to follow a diet and exercise program. All Obalon balloons must be removed in 6 months.

Products and services

• Obalon Balloon System The Obalon Balloon System is a swallowable, gas-filled intragastric balloon for weight loss, indicated for adults with a BMI of 30-40 kg/m2 who are willing to follow a diet and exercise program. The balloon is swallowed as a capsule and inflated with gas in the stomach to induce early satiety, with all balloons required to be removed within six months. Patients must take daily acid-blocking medicine. Common side effects include mild abdominal pain and nausea that typically resolve within two weeks. The device is prescribed and implanted by bariatric surgeons and is not currently commercially available.

Quantifiable outcome

• Balloon must be removed within 6 months

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ReShape Lifesciences, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReShape Lifesciences acquired Obalon Therapeutics and has integrated Obalon into its portfolio of weight loss products and services. ReShape Lifesciences is described as America's premier weight-loss solutions company, offering an integrated portfolio of proven products and services that manage and treat obesity and metabolic disease. The company is working on commercial support plans for Obalon products.
• MedtimocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedtimo is described as America's premier weight-loss solutions company and serves as the commercial partner for ReShape Lifesciences, hosting Obalon product information and managing customer service (1-844-937-7374). Medtimo operates the Obalon website (medtimo.com/obalon) and provides customer touchpoints including contact forms for surgeon availability inquiries.
• William PlovanicminorOthersWilliam Plovanic was appointed to TELA Bio's Board of Directors. Plovanic has extensive experience in capital markets and medical technology, including leadership roles at Obalon Therapeutics. While this indicates his professional background at Obalon, it does not represent an active partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Allurion Technologies: Allurion markets the Allurion Balloon, a procedureless swallowable gastric balloon for weight loss. It is the most direct product competitor to Obalon, targeting the same BMI 30-40 patient population with a comparable non-endoscopic placement workflow.
• Apollo Endosurgery (Orbera): Apollo Endosurgery (acquired by Boston Scientific) manufactures the Orbera Intragastric Balloon System, a leading liquid-filled intragastric balloon for weight loss. It competes with Obalon in the same bariatric endoscopy channel and BMI 30-40 patient segment.
• Spatz FGIA: Spatz FGIA manufactures the Spatz3 Adjustable Balloon System, an FDA-approved intragastric balloon with volume adjustability. It competes directly with Obalon in the same endoscopic bariatric balloon category.
• ReShape Lifesciences: ReShape Lifesciences is Obalon's parent company and itself a direct competitor via its LAP-BAND adjustable gastric band and the legacy ReShape Dual Balloon. It operates the same surgeon channel and bariatric patient acquisition infrastructure that Obalon leverages post-acquisition.

Emerging players

• Endalis (Elipse / Allurion prior): Endalis developed the Elipse swallowable intragastric balloon (now associated with Allurion), a procedureless balloon concept overlapping with Obalon's swallowed-balloon positioning. It represents an emerging European player in the same swallowable-bariatric category.
• Helioscopie: Helioscopie is a European medical device company manufacturing intragastric balloons for obesity treatment. It is an emerging niche competitor in the same bariatric balloon category as Obalon, with comparable product positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Medtronic: Medtronic is a broad incumbent in the bariatric and metabolic surgery space, offering devices, supplies, and surgical tools used by the same bariatric surgeon customer base that Obalon targets. Its scale and surgeon relationships make it a powerful channel incumbent.
• Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson): Ethicon, a J&J MedTech company, operates broadly in bariatric/metabolic surgery devices and supplies. It engages the same bariatric surgeon customers and competes for the same hospital and outpatient procedure budgets as Obalon.

Others

• Novo Nordisk: Novo Nordisk markets Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda, GLP-1 obesity pharmacotherapies that compete with Obalon for the same BMI 30-40 patient demand via a non-procedural mechanism. They represent the dominant pharmaceutical substitute reshaping the entire bariatric device market.
• Eli Lilly: Eli Lilly markets Zepbound (tirzepatide) and Mounjaro, GLP-1/GIP obesity therapies that are rapidly capturing the weight loss market. As a pharmaceutical substitute rather than device peer, Lilly represents the largest structural threat to Obalon's category growth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/obalonballoon
• Facebookfacebook.com/obalonballoon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/obalon-therapeutics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds13 records

Investors10 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Obalon Therapeutics