SAN DIEGO, Sept. 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Obalon Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OBLN), a San Diego-based company focused on commercializing the Obalon Balloon System, the first and only FDA-approved swallowable, gas-filled intra-gastric balloon for weight loss announces that it has engaged Helmuth T. Billy, MD, as Medical Director to oversee medical affairs for the Company’s first weight loss treatment center. Located in San Diego’s North County area, the 2,000 square foot Obalon Center for Weight Loss is expected to begin treating patients in the fall of 2019.

“Dr. Billy is an internationally renowned bariatric surgeon based in Southern California. We are very pleased to engage him as Medical Director for our first planned Obalon Center for Weight Loss,” said William J. Plovanic, Obalon’s President and Chief Financial Officer. “Known throughout the bariatric surgery field, Dr. Billy is a perfect fit to oversee the medical aspects of our treatment center strategy, as we strive to continue building Obalon’s retail brand and reputation for providing a high quality and effective solution for patients seeking to lose weight when diet and exercise are not enough and surgery is not desired or recommended.”

“There are many individuals struggling to lose weight and improve their health and appearance. Many people do not want or do not qualify for traditional surgical options,” said Dr. Billy. “The Obalon Center for Weight Loss in San Diego is intended to make it easier for those patients to access non-surgical weight loss options. The Obalon Balloon System is an innovative technology that has proven to be safe and effective in rigorous clinical trials and commercial settings. I am excited to oversee medical affairs at the Company’s first facility to bring Obalon’s solution to the community.”

Dr. Helmuth Billy is currently Director of Bariatric Surgery at St. John's Regional Medical Center, a bariatric Center of Excellence and recognized by the American College of Surgeons (MBSAQIP), Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Health Net as an accredited Bariatric program. In addition, he has extensive international experience and is a visiting consultant for the General Surgery/Bariatric Surgery program at Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha, Qatar, one of the largest international Obalon Balloon System treatment programs outside the United States. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Community Memorial Hospital, an American College of Surgeons accredited Bariatric Center located in Ventura, California. Dr. Billy has educated and proctored numerous surgeons as part of their educational training and has been an invited faculty member at national educational events and surgeon training workshops. He has been a featured speaker at National meetings and International Congresses with subsequent contribution to U.S. Guidelines on the treatment and management of obesity. Additionally, he has participated or been responsible for overseeing multiple clinical studies used to demonstrate to the FDA the safety and effectiveness of various surgical and non-surgical medical devices for weight loss, including the U.S. clinical studies that supported FDA-approval of the Obalon Balloon System.  Dr. Billy is a former Commander of the U.S. Naval Reserves and obtained his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology at the University of California, Berkeley and Medical Degree at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine.

About Obalon Therapeutics, Inc.
Obalon Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OBLN) is a San Diego-based company focused on developing and commercializing novel technologies for weight loss. For more information, please visit www.obalon.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding Obalon Therapeutics, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor of the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause Obalon Therapeutics' future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Obalon Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to Obalon Therapeutics' business in general, please refer to Obalon Therapeutics’ annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 22, 2019, Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 24, 2019, and its future periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For Obalon Therapeutics, Inc.

Investor Contact:
William Plovanic
President & Chief Financial Officer
Obalon Therapeutics, Inc.
Office: +1 760 607 5103
wplovanic@obalon.com