Gelesis

Gelesis is a privately held biotechnology company located in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 2006 to develop medical devices and treatments for obesity. The company developed hydrogel capsules that are intended to expand in the stomach and create a feeling of fullness faster, helping people reduce the amount of food they eat.
History.
Gelesis was founded by PureTech Ventures, a life sciences venture firm based in Boston, and ExoTech Bio, an Israel-based research and development company. The company operates as an affiliate of PureTech Health. Former PureTech Ventures partner Yishai Zohar co-founded the company and served as CEO. 
The company's technology was co-invented by Alessandro Sannino, a professor of engineering at the University of Salento, who had been researching the idea prior to the launch of Gelesis. 
In January 2008, the company raised $16 million in its first financing round, led by OrbiMed Advisors and Queensland BioCapital Funds.
In 2010, the company passed the first human trials of its treatment. The company’s product was originally called Attiva, but was later renamed Gelesis100.
In 2014, Gelesis raised $12 million in its fifth funding round, bringing its total funding to $42 million.
In March 2015, the company closed a $22 million funding round. In April 2015, the company announced an initial public offering (IPO) for $60 million, but pulled out later that year. In December 2015, Gelesis raised $31.5 million shortly after cancelling its IPO.
In 2018, Gelesis raised $30 million in preparation for regulatory submissions in the U.S. and Europe and initial marketing of Gelesis100.