Endoluminal gastric plication (ELGP (sometimes also called endoscopic sleeve or endoscopic gastric plication)[6])

Endoluminal gastric plication is **not a molecule or receptor**, but rather a **minimally invasive endoscopic weight loss procedure**. In this technique, the stomach is folded inward and sutured using an endoscope inserted through the mouth. This reduces stomach volume so patients feel full faster and eat less. The procedure does not require external incisions, resulting in no visible scars and typically a rapid recovery—most patients go home the same day[1][6][8]. It is sometimes referred to as "endoscopic sleeve" or "distal POSE," among other names. The main goal of this intervention is to treat obesity by restricting food intake. It can result in significant weight loss (typically 15–20% of starting body weight) and improvement in obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, and dyslipidemia[1]. Unlike some other bariatric procedures (e.g., intragastric balloon), it is not reversible. This approach uses specialized devices for internal suturing or stapling—examples include OverStitch (Apollo Endosurgery) and others—to create durable folds ("plications") along the stomach wall without removing any tissue[2][3][5]. While considered safe with low risk compared to open surgery, long-term durability remains under investigation; some early devices lost effectiveness due to suture loosening over time. Because it describes a **procedure** rather than a molecular target (such as an enzyme or receptor), most fields related to molecular classification do not apply here. There are no known drugs that interact directly with this "target," nor are there associated biomarkers for patient selection at the molecular level. In summary: **Endoluminal gastric plication** refers exclusively to an interventional technique for obesity management—not a biological molecule/receptor/therapeutic target—and should be classified accordingly if building structured data sets for drug discovery purposes[1][2][3][6].

Other names

Endoscopic gastric plicationEndoluminal sleeveEndoscopic sleeve gastroplastyELGPDistal POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery Endoluminal)[1]Vertical gastric plication[7]