Oxford Medical Products has raised 拢1.2 million to develop a weight loss technology which could help fight life-threatening diseases.听
Sirona is a听hydrogel听capsule which can be听swallowed听at home and expands in the stomach, occupying space for several weeks and reducing hunger.听
After听several weeks the capsule breaks down gradually and passes naturally over time.听It is designed听to work in the same way as a gastric balloon, which听has to听be placed endoscopically in a hospital.听听
OMP says Sirona is both safe and affordable.听Current听surgical solutions for weight loss start at around 拢4k per treatment.听
鈥淲eight gain is preventable but, despite over a hundred years of attempts, no universally safe and effective non-surgical weight-loss solution has been found,鈥� said CEO Dr Camilla Easter (below).
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鈥淎ll successful solutions involve surgery which is costly and invasive. Treatments that are low cost and widely available, historically have poor results,听with little or no lasting weight loss for the average person.听听
鈥淥xford Medical Products is here to change this and to hand millions the power to achieve a healthy weight.鈥�听
Oxford Medical Products was founded in 2017 by Professor Jan听Czenurska,听a world-renowned expert in hydrogels, and Dr听Hutan听Ashrafian,听a pioneering bariatric surgeon, who realised they could combine their expertise to help people with weight loss.听听
Dr Easter听and Dr Nick Edwards, two medically trained entrepreneurs, joined听Oxford Medical Products to turn this vision into a reality.听
The听funding听was led by Ada Ventures with Selvedge Venture alongside several angel investors including Dr Nick Edwards, a founder of the company, and Dr Jan Hruska, co-founder of Sophos.听
It will be used to complete pre-clinical testing, upscale and outsource manufacturing and grow the team.听
OMP听is currently conducting pre-clinical testing, with the first human studies scheduled for 2022, with the aim of launching a commercial product in 2024.听
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Excessive weight affects 1.9 billion听people worldwide and is responsible for 80 per cent of type 2听diabetes,听and听is the second biggest environmental cause of cancer.听
Check听Warner, Founding Partner of Ada Ventures, commented: 鈥淎t Ada听Ventures we are looking to fund bold, ground-breaking ideas which could positively impact billions of people in big markets.听听
鈥淓xcessive weight is undoubtedly one of the biggest health challenges we face as a society and is accelerating rapidly.听听
鈥淐urrent 鈥榯reatments鈥櫶齠or obesity are short term and ineffective or are not widely available and carry unnecessary risk.听听
鈥淲e are delighted to have led this fundraising round to bring Sirona to market and we look forward to supporting the company through the next phase of development.”听