Enteromedics Inc (ETRM)

[rrojarom]

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ST. PAUL, Minn., July 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EnteroMedics Inc. (NASDAQ: ETRM), a developer of minimally invasive medical devices to treat obesity, metabolic diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders, today announced that the Methodist Dallas Medical Center successfully completed its first implant of the Company's vBloc® Neurometabolic Therapy through the Veterans Choice Program. The surgery was performed on July 24, 2017 by Sachin Kukreja, M.D., a bariatric surgeon in Dallas, Texas.

The federal Veterans Choice Program allows veterans to have the vBloc procedure within a facility in their local community instead of at a Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) hospital, significantly increasing the accessibility to vBloc for veterans. According to the VA, in the first quarter of FY2017, they observed a more than 30 percent increase in authorizations through the program as compared to the same period in FY2016. The company's previously announced agreement with Academy Medical covers the cost of vBloc for qualified veterans in accordance with their VA health benefits.

"There are over one million veterans battling obesity today, and it is a privilege for EnteroMedics to be able to facilitate their access to our life-changing solutions," said Dan Gladney, EnteroMedics' President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board. "This first VA Choice implant represents another successful step for EnteroMedics towards our goal of establishing vBloc Therapy as a standard of care for patients seeking anatomy-friendly options for weight loss."

vBloc Therapy works to control sensations of hunger using a pacemaker-like device that is implanted under the skin during a safe, minimally invasive procedure. The vBloc System gives the patient a sensation of fullness, empowering them to eat less, control their appetite, and lose weight. Studies have shown that vBloc Therapy produces meaningful weight loss while also reducing comorbidity factors related to obesity.

"It is an honor to help our veterans and their families who have served this country," said Dr. Kukreja. "With a minimally-invasive, non-anatomy-altering solution to help fight obesity, vBloc Therapy offers patients a healthier alternative to other surgical weight loss solutions."

vBloc Therapy is approved for use 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.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enteromedics-announces-first-veterans-choice-program-vbloc-implant-for-obesity-at-methodist-dallas-medical-center-300493281.html