China expected to usher in a new era of obesity treatment with minimally invasive intervention: The "Gastric Bypass Stent System" developed by Tongee is introduced at the China Obesity Congress

Obesity has become a public health crisis since the 21st century. In response to the "Healthy China 2030" national strategy, the first "China Obesity Congress" was officially held in the China National Convention Center from July 30 to 31, 2021 under the sponsorship of the Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Professional Committee of Capacity Building and Continuing Education, Surgery Expert Committee of the National Health Commission, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, and Bariatric and Metabolic Specialist Branch of Beijing Medical Doctor Association.

Focusing on academic topics of basic and translational research on obesity-related endocrine system diseases, cardiovascular system diseases, and metabolic diseases, this conference had several parallel sessions of clinical nutriology (obesity), obesity-related cardiovascular diseases, obesity-related endocrine and metabolic diseases, weight loss and metabolic surgery, and general metabolic diseases, presenting a rare and splendid academic feast in the medical industry.

The special session on cooperation among medical enterprises, universities and scientific research institutions for weight loss and metabolic therapies held in the afternoon of July 31 attracted much attention. During this parallel session, various new treatment solutions and advanced technologies for obesity and related diseases sparked a lively discussion. As innovative weight-loss technologies, the newly developed medical devices became the focus of the session.

Exploration of innovative technologies for the treatment of obesity is urgently needed as "chronic diseases" have a higher demand for advanced technologies

It is well known that obesity affects many human organ systems. It is an important risk factor for many common chronic diseases, and has a significant impact on people's well-being. However, due to limited understanding and management of obesity in China, the development of more advanced and effective innovative treatment has always been the focus in the field of medical weight loss.

As an expert in the field of medical weight loss, Prof. Li Peng of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Medical University said that we still have a long way to go in the management of obesity. He noted during the conference that so far, the existing obesity treatments in China mainly include diet, exercise, behavioral intervention, drug therapy and bariatric surgery. Among them, the weight-loss ways of diet, exercise and behavioral intervention have a weak effect with a prolonged treatment cycle. Weight loss medications have significant side effects despite their high weight-loss efficacy. Bariatric surgeries also have certain risks and may cause irreversible damage to the human body, albeit a good treatment outcome. In general, there is still a lack of an obesity-treating approach that is less invasive and more efficient and effective. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on advanced technologies which are newly developed by China and are currently undergoing clinical trials.

The new clinical study of medical weight loss explores the unprecedented use of endoscopy

Prof. Li is a doctoral advisor and chief physician of the Gastroenterology Department of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, vice director of the Association of Integrative Gastroenterologist of CMDA, secretary general of the Youth Committee of Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, deputy leader of the Endoscope Cleaning and Disinfection Group of Chinese Society of Digestive Endoscopology, and secretary of the Early Gastric Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Collaborative Group of Chinese Society of Digestive Endoscopology. As an authoritative expert in the diagnosis and treatment of obesity and related diseases, he has countless academic accomplishments and extensive clinical experience in the field of endoscopic therapy.

At the conference, Prof. Li also shared his insights on an endoscopic weight loss technology developed in China through an article titled "Research and Development of Endoscopic Gastric Bypass Stent". For this topic, he mentioned that endoscopic weight loss treatment is currently an unexplored area in China, and the new technology of "Gastric Bypass Stent System" developed by Tongee is undergoing clinical trials in the Gastroenterology Department of Beijing Friendship Hospital. This technology is expected to fill the gap in obesity treatment and become a new weight loss solution.

According to Prof. Li, the "Gastric Bypass Stent System" is a new approach to weight control through endoscopic intervention. Compared with conventional bariatric surgery, this device is less invasive, easier to operate, does not damage the human body structure and can be explanted. It is implanted in the duodenum and upper jejunum through a gastroscope. After implantation of the device, the chyme from the stomach passes through the chamber of the sleeve, while bile and pancreatic juice are isolated by the sleeve. Thus, bile and pancreatic juice converge together with the chyme at the remote of the jejunum, which reduces the digestion and absorption of food. Therefore, it can be used to control metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which exhibits good prospects for a wide range of applications.

It is the innovative technology that helps us open up new medical possibilities. Advanced technologies such as the "Gastric Bypass Stent System" have taken the most challenging step in scientific research and innovation. This breakthrough in research progress has a far-reaching significance in the development of medical treatment for obesity and related diseases, and is worthy of further attention of the medical industry.

The weight loss technology developed in China exhibits tremendous potential, breaking the "bottleneck" imposed by foreign countries

Scientific research and innovation remain the core force leading technological development. During the "14th five-year plan" period beginning in 2021, we should adhere to innovation-driven development, seek independent progress in medical technologies, focus on key core technologies, and accelerate the breakthrough of "bottlenecks" faced by drugs, medical devices and vaccines, so as to enhance the overall health-related technological innovation capabilities of China and promote the health of Chinese people.

Prof. Li Peng remarked that "Gastric Bypass Stent System" is superior to imported technologies and may bring more benefits to patients, which is of great significance to China. To date, clinical studies of the implantation of the Gastric Bypass Stent System for the treatment of obesity have been conducted simultaneously across several Grade-3 and Class-A hospitals in Beijing, Nanjing, Tianjin, Xi'an, Shenyang, Harbin and Hohhot and have obtained encouraging results. As a Chinese clinician, Prof. Li is very pleased to see such achievements.

The Gastric Bypass Stent System, as a breakthrough innovation in endoscopic weight loss treatment, will usher in a new era of endoscopic treatment for obesity after it is marketed in the future, which represents an advancement of China's independent medical innovation.

Obesity is not only a big threat to the health of Chinese people, but also one of the most important public health problems facing the world today. At the conference, Prof. Li Peng showed us the new obesity-treating solutions of the future and the unlimited potential of domestically developed innovative technologies. Let's continue to focus on the in-depth research of new technologies and look forward to the breakthrough progress in domestic new technologies, as well as the advent of new solutions that will benefit hundreds of millions of obese patients around the world.