BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gelesis, a biotechnology company advancing nature-inspired superabsorbent hydrogels to treat excess weight and metabolic disorders, announced the appointment of marketing executive Jane Wildman to its Board of Directors. Ms. Wildman has extensive experience as a board member, president, and chief marketing officer across Fortune-25, mid-sized, and start-up companies. The appointment comes as Gelesis looks toward the broad launch of its commercial product, Plenity®, this year.
“We believe we can help fundamentally change how the world addresses weight management. Jane has devoted her career to building brands that solve consumer problems, and her marketing and branding expertise will help us as we launch Plenity later this year,” said Yishai Zohar, CEO and Founder of Gelesis.
As president and board member of Combe Incorporated, a personal-care consumer products company, Ms. Wildman successfully led the company to record sales and profit growth ahead of peers. Prior to Combe, Ms. Wildman was a partner and consultant with The Partnering Group, where she specialized in corporate strategy, omni-channel marketing, transforming the user experience, and multi-cultural marketing. Clients included Fortune 50 and digital start-ups, including Walmart, P&G, and Nestle. Ms. Wildman spent over 25 years at Procter & Gamble, where she worked in beauty, health, baby, feminine care, and food both in the U.S. and internationally. She served as global Vice President and led the global marketing organization for Pampers, P&G’s largest brand. She led the repositioning of a declining Pampers brand and during her tenure, Pampers doubled from $4 to $8 billion in sales with over half of the sales in international.
“Throughout my career I have worked on many deeply personal brands, from feminine health and dandruff to baby care. I’m passionate about changing the conversation to personal empowerment, and that’s exactly what drew me to Gelesis,” said Jane. “With Plenity, we have the unique opportunity to change the stigmatized conversation around weight. When it comes to something as personal as weight and body image, it’s your choice and your journey, but you deserve the right partner to help you feel supported and empowered.”
About Gelesis
Gelesis is a consumer-centered biotechnology company advancing a novel category of treatments for weight management and gut health related chronic diseases. Our non-caloric superabsorbent hydrogels are inspired by the composition and mechanical properties (e.g. firmness) of raw vegetables. They are conveniently administered in capsules to create a much larger volume of small, non-aggregating hydrogel pieces that become an integrated part of the meals, and act locally in the digestive system.
Our portfolio includes Plenity, an FDA-cleared product to aid in weight management, as well as potential therapies in development for Type 2 Diabetes, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)/Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), and Functional Constipation.
For more information, visit gelesis.com, or connect with us on Twitter @GelesisInc.
About Plenity®
Plenity is FDA-cleared to aid in weight management in adults with excess weight or obesity, Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 to 40 kg/m², when used in conjunction with diet and exercise. Plenity is designed to help you feel full while eating less.
The capsules are taken 20-30 minutes before lunch and dinner with 16 oz of water, acting locally in the GI tract to make you feel fuller. Using a novel biomimetic approach, its structure and properties were inspired by vegetables. Plenity is available now in a limited release, with broad commercial availability later in 2021.
For more information, visit myplenity.com.
Important Safety Information
- Patients who are pregnant or are allergic to cellulose, citric acid, sodium stearyl fumarate, gelatin, or titanium dioxide should not take Plenity.
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To avoid impact on the absorption of medications:
- For all medications that should be taken with food, take them after starting a meal.
- For all medications that should be taken without food (on an empty stomach), continue taking on an empty stomach or as recommended by your physician.
- The overall incidence of side effects with Plenity was no different than placebo. The most common side effects were diarrhea, distended abdomen, infrequent bowel movements, and flatulence.
- Contact a doctor right away if problems occur. If you have a severe allergic reaction, severe stomach pain, or severe diarrhea, stop using Plenity until you can speak to your doctor.
Rx Only. For the safe and proper use of Plenity or more information, talk to a healthcare professional, read the Patient Instructions for Use, or call 1-844-PLENITY.
