FDA Approves Roseville-Based Co.'s Obesity Device

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It is the first obesity-fighting device and it was made right here in Minnesota.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Roseville-based Entero-Medics implantable device, called the Maestro.

Dubbed "the pacemaker for your stomach", the device uses electrical signals to stimulate nerves to reduce a person's feelings of hunger.

In clinical trials, half of the people with a Maestro implant lost at least 20 percent of their excess weight.

Federal regulators are asking for another 5-year study in order to confirm the long-term benefits of the device before it goes on sale in the U.S.