# Image-guided Bariatric Arterial Embolization (BAE) for the Treatment of Obesity

> **NIH NIH R01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $663,314

## Abstract

Over 40% of Americans are obese, with the prevalence of obesity continuing to rise. Obesity negatively
affects general health and has been attributed to an increasing incidence of diabetes, heart disease, vascular
disease, joint stress, lumbar spine disorders, liver and biliary disease, and various cancers. In the prior granting
period, we developed a minimally invasive, image-guided, percutaneous intervention called bariatric arterial
embolism (BAE), which was tested in growing swine and translated to a Phase I clinical trial in patients, and was
shown to decrease weight gain in growing pigs based on embolic size and target location and safely cause
weight loss in people. While surgical approaches have shown better reductions in weight than BAE, they are
highly invasive (requiring reconstruction of bowel), have variable success rates, and can have significant
complications. Thus, in this renewal application, we seek to refine and develop alternative strategies for minimally
invasive BAE and weight reduction.
 Using a novel microfluidic device to create high-throughput radiopaque embolics and an anti-reflux
catheter, we performed BAE in growing swine and demonstrated the effects of BAE on gastric hormones, i.e.,
ghrelin, gastrin, GLP-1, etc. with smaller embolics being more effective at reducing weight gain. However,
smaller embolics are also associated with increased the risk of severe adverse events including gastric
perforation. Ghrelin, the primary hunger hormone, which is produced primarily in the gastric fundus, remains a
major target for weight reduction. As BAE would be performed in otherwise healthy patients, the risk of non-
target embolization (NTE) to organs that share the same vascular supply as the stomach, such as the liver,
spleen, pancreas, remains a concern as well. Thus, critical issues such as improved targeting, safety, and long-
term efficacy need to be further addressed in order to translate this procedure from animals into patients as a
durable treatment for obesity.
 In this proposal, we seek to improve the safety of BAE using radiolabeled embolics as well as test two
new concepts for minimally invasive, image-guided weight loss. We will test these techniques in obese dogs
rather than growing pigs as a more realistic model of obesity in people. Our Specific Aims include: 1) Evaluate
the safety and efficacy of Yttrium-90 labeled embolics for BAE; 2) Evaluate microencapsulated, iron-oxide
nanoparticle (MIONPs) combined with magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) for weight loss; and 3) Develop MR-guided
vagal cryoablation as a weight-loss strategy to determine long-term minimally invasive techniques for treating
obesity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10769833
- **Project number:** 5R01DK135399-06
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** DARA L KRAITCHMAN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $663,314
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-05-01 → 2027-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10769833

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10769833, Image-guided Bariatric Arterial Embolization (BAE) for the Treatment of Obesity (5R01DK135399-06). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10769833. Licensed CC0.

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