At 6-foot-4, Michael Hatch is not a small man. And when the 51-year-old Surprise, Ariz., construction worker-turned-truck driver’s weight topped 325 pounds, you might even say he was big.
Maybe a little too big.
Diagnosed with obesity in 2023, Michael was on the lookout for a clinical trial that might help him loose some poundage. When he came upon a unique study being offered by HonorHealth Research Institute, he decided that this was the one.
Known as the REMAIN-1 clinical trial, the study is designed to assess the safety and effectiveness of Revita Duodenal Mucosal Resurfacing (DMR). Created by Fractyl Health of Burlington, Mass., it involves scraping the interior lining, or mucosa, of the duodenum, the first several inches of the small intestine located just past the stomach.
It is a one-time, minimally invasive procedure intended to restore healthy nutrient sensing and signaling that otherwise has been disrupted by chronic metabolic disease. The idea is that when the mucosa grows back, the new lining speeds up the patient’s metabolism, reduces food cravings, and re-establishes natural digestion.
Losing nearly 3 pounds each week
Although study participants don’t know if they receive the procedure, or are just part of a placebo control group, Michael feels certain that he got the real deal last year. He’s been losing about 3 pounds per week for nearly 200 days.
Initially using one of the new GLP-1 weight loss drugs, he went from 325 pounds to 306 before having a procedure. A little more than 6 months later, he’s down to 211.1 pounds, a loss of 95 pounds, and he’s still looking to lose more.
“I feel 100% that I got it because I’m still losing weight like crazy,” said Michael, who also maintains a strict diet of mostly fruits, vegetables, whole foods and lean meats, guided by an Institute nutritionist.
“I feel different. I have energy. I’m not so sluggish. I’m eating healthier,” said Michael, who was born and raised in Phoenix. “My wife (Shannan) says now I’m always go, go, go; always doing something.”
Wife also has lost nearly 50 pounds
Since he changed his diet, so has his wife, who has lost nearly 50 pounds in recent months: “When I started losing the weight, my wife, she kind of jumped on the train,” Michael said. “She can’t be eating pizza when I’m eating vegies and chicken. She’s had my back the whole time.”
Each month, Michael’s waist and weight are measured by his nutritionist who also recommends some new goal.
“It’s been great,” he says of his treatment at that Institute during the study. “This is the one that’s going to work for people. I’m losing weight like crazy right now. Wouldn’t anybody want that! HonorHealth has been great to me. I appreciate everything that they’ve done.”
