EnteroMedics Announces Publication of Three-Year Data from vBloc Diabetic Patient Study in Journal of Diabetes and Obesity

ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EnteroMedics Inc. (NASDAQ:ETRM), the developer of medical devices using neuroblocking technology to treat obesity, metabolic diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders, today announced the publication of three-year data from the Company's VBLOC DM2 Study of vBloc^® Neurometabolic Therapy in obese patients with Type 2 diabetes. The publication, entitled "Vagal Nerve Block for Improvements in Glycemic Control in Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Three-Year Results of the VBLOC DM2 Study," was published in the Journal of Diabetes and Obesity and is available online here.

"In addition to maintaining weight loss over time, successful management of comorbid conditions such as diabetes is critical," said Charles Billington, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota. "The three-year data from the VBLOC DM2 study continue to demonstrate that vBloc Therapy not only provides durable improvements in weight loss through three years, but also improved glycemic control in obese patients with Type 2 diabetes who do not wish to undergo anatomy-altering weight-loss procedures."

Results from the study demonstrate that after three years, the average percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) was 21% with reductions in hemoglobin A_1c (HbA_1c) of 0.6 percentage points from a baseline of 7.8%. This clinically meaningful reduction in HbA_1c resulted in 39% of participants either reducing or stopping their diabetes medications. Additionally, 71% of study participants were at or below the American Diabetes Association target for HbA_1c for people with diabetes of 7%. Also at three years, mean estimated fasting plasma glucose was significantly decreased by 18 mg/dL from 151 mg/dL at baseline.

"We are encouraged by the strong three year results seen in the VBLOC DM2 study, as the data provides additional evidence of the benefit that vBloc Therapy can offer to patients battling obesity and Type 2 diabetes," said Dan Gladney, EnteroMedics President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. "Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are two of the most serious societal health concerns throughout the world today, and innovative treatments like vBloc Therapy have the potential to stem the tide against these dangerous and debilitating conditions."

The DM2 Study is an international, open-label, prospective, multi-center study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of vBloc Therapy in 28 diabetic subjects with obesity by measuring average percentage excess weight loss (EWL), HbA1c (blood sugar), fasting plasma glucose (FPG, blood sugar) and blood pressure, following device activation. No deaths, unanticipated adverse device effects, or life-threatening complications occurred through three years. 

vBloc Therapy is approved for use in helping with weight loss in people aged 18 years and older who are obese, with a BMI of 40 to 45 kg/m², or a BMI of 35 to 39.9 kg/m² with a related health condition such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels or obstructive sleep apnea who have had a poor response to trying to lose weight under supervision in the last 5 years.

About EnteroMedics Inc.

EnteroMedics is a medical device company focused on the development and commercialization of its neuroscience based technology to treat obesity and metabolic diseases. vBloc^® Neurometabolic Therapy, delivered by a pacemaker-like device called the vBloc^® System, is designed to intermittently block the vagus nerves using high-frequency, low-energy, electrical impulses. EnteroMedics' vBloc^® System has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and CE Mark.

Information about the vBloc^® System and vBloc^® Neurometabolic Therapy

You should not have an implanted vBloc^® System if you have cirrhosis of the liver, high blood pressure in the veins of the liver, enlarged veins in your esophagus or a significant hiatal hernia of the stomach; if you need magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); if you have a permanently implanted, electrical medical device; or if you need a diathermy procedure using heat. The most common related adverse events that were experienced during clinical study of the vBloc System included pain, heartburn, nausea, difficulty swallowing, belching, wound redness or irritation, and constipation.

Talk with your doctor about the full risks and benefits of vBloc Therapy and vBloc System. For additional prescribing information, please visit www.enteromedics.com.

If you are interested in learning more about vBloc Neurometabolic Therapy, please visit www.vbloc.com or call 1-800-MY-VBLOC.

Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement:

This press release contains forward-looking statements about EnteroMedics Inc. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed due to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors including our limited history of operations; our losses since inception and for the foreseeable future; our limited commercial sales experience with our vBloc^® System for the treatment of obesity in the United States or in any foreign market other than Australia and the European Community; our ability to regain and then maintain compliance with the Nasdaq continued listing requirements; our ability to commercialize our vBloc^® System; our dependence on third parties to initiate and perform our clinical trials; the need to obtain regulatory approval for any modifications to our vBloc^® System; physician adoption of our vBloc^® System and vBloc^® Neurometabolic Therapy; our ability to obtain third party coding, coverage or payment levels; ongoing regulatory compliance; our dependence on third party manufacturers and suppliers; the successful development of our sales and marketing capabilities; our ability to raise additional capital when needed; international commercialization and operation; our ability to attract and retain management and other personnel and to manage our growth effectively; potential product liability claims; potential healthcare fraud and abuse claims; healthcare legislative reform; and our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our technology and products. These and additional risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly those factors identified as "risk factors" in the annual report on Form 10-K filed March 28, 2016. We are providing this information as of the date of this press release and do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE EnteroMedics Inc.

Related Links

http://www.enteromedics.com