Mr. Chardon is a recognized commercialization expert with a successful track record in new category creation in the health wellness industry
Regulatory News:
Mauna Kea Technologies (Euronext Growth: ALMKT), inventor of Cellvizio, the multidisciplinary probe and needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (p/nCLE) platform, today announced that it has appointed Benoit Chardon as a senior advisor to scale its business where Cellvizio is now used to accurately diagnose food intolerance in patients suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Mr. Chardon is a recognized marketing and commercialization expert with a proven track record in the launch and scaling of successful new category creation in health and wellness, such as CoolSculpting (acquired by Allergan, now part of AbbVie, for USD 2.5 billion) and FILORGA (acquired by Colgate Palmolive for EUR 1.5 billion).
Benoit Chardon's appointment is a strategic move to accelerate Mauna Kea Technologies' ambitious plan in the buoyant food intolerance market, leveraging over two decades of experience in wellness, medical aesthetics and direct to patient marketing approach, as well as the recent discovery and investment of Mauna Kea Technologies in a new clinical protocol to leverage Cellvizio's unique imaging capabilities to help uncover a food intolerance in a large pool of patients suffering from IBS.
As the former Chief Commercial Officer of Allurion, Mr. Chardon oversaw Allurion's global commercial operations and was instrumental in driving the company's expansion, achieving an impressive 100% annual sales growth, bringing sales from USD 3 million to USD 64 million in the last 5 years. His expertise in commercial strategy, go-to-market model, creating brand equity and partnering with providers to generate demand in the most cost-effective manner will be perfectly synergistic as Mauna Kea Technologies strives to meet the increasing demands of patients seeking food intolerance solutions.
"I have been fortunate to have leading roles in some of the most exciting hyper growth stories in medical aesthetics and wellness, launching new products which had a positive impact on the health and well-being of millions of patients worldwide. It is crystal clear to me that the new Cellvizio Food Intolerance Program will be to the world of IBS what Botox is to Facial Wrinkles: a blockbuster that will transform the lives of millions of patients currently desperate to understand the root cause of their digestive problems", commented Benoit Chardon. "I am very much looking forward to partnering with the Mauna Kea team to jump-start the launch of this program. Can you imagine the vast market potential for this new IBS Program considering that in the United States, there are twice as many people searching for solutions for IBS than for weight loss?"
"We couldn't be more excited to welcome Benoit in our team, as we work towards the scaling of our IBS and food intolerance application. Our aspirations in this indication are bold and potentially game-changing for our company, and it is crucial to have a team of exceptional caliber to navigate us towards success", said Sacha Loiseau, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mauna Kea Technologies. "Benoit's unparalleled expertise makes him the ideal person for Mauna Kea as we embark on a patient-centric approach. His innovative leadership and strategic execution at Allurion have led to the Company's remarkable development, which fits with our ambition at Mauna Kea. With a clear strategy in place, we eagerly anticipate sharing progress updates with our stakeholders in the near term."
About IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder, affecting 9 to 15% of the population and characterized by a group of symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation, or both), without any underlying damage visible through standard diagnostics. IBS significantly affects the quality of life of sufferers who often face a protracted and distressing journey of medical consultation that could last 2 to 3 years on average with no guaranteed path to identifying the underlying cause of their symptoms. Its management often requires a multidisciplinary approach, including dietary changes, medication, and psychological support, reflecting the complex interplay between the gut and the brain.
In several important clinical studies1 using Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy, it has been proved that 50% to 60% of IBS patients could in fact suffer from atypical food intolerances that can only be characterized by the real time visualization with Cellvizio of the intestinal barrier during a food challenge.
For more information on the use of Cellvizio in food intolerance, please visit our website: www.maunakeatech.com/en/physicians/62-irritable-bowel-syndrome
About Mauna Kea Technologies
Mauna Kea Technologies is a global medical device company that manufactures and sells Cellvizio, the real-time in vivo cellular imaging platform. This technology uniquely delivers in vivo cellular visualization which enables physicians to monitor the progression of disease over time, assess point-in-time reactions as they happen in real time, classify indeterminate areas of concern, and guide surgical interventions. The Cellvizio platform is used globally across a wide range of medical specialties and is making a transformative change in the way physicians diagnose and treat patients. For more information, visit www.maunakeatech.com.
Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements about Mauna Kea Technologies and its business. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Mauna Kea Techonologies' financial condition, business, strategies, plans and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. Mauna Kea Technologies believes that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. However, no assurance can be given that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements will be achieved. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those described in Chapter 3 of Mauna Kea Technologies' 2022 Universal Registration Document filed with the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) on June 28, 2023 under number D-23-0545, which is available on the Company's website (www.maunakeatech.fr), as well as the risks associated with changes in economic conditions, financial markets and the markets in which Mauna Kea Technologies operates. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks that are unknown to Mauna Kea Technologies or that Mauna Kea Technologies does not currently consider material. The occurrence of some or all of these risks could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Mauna Kea Technologies to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe for, or the solicitation of an order to buy or subscribe for, shares of Mauna Kea Technologies in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The distribution of this press release may be restricted in certain jurisdictions by local law. Persons into whose possession this document comes are required to comply with all local regulations applicable to this document.
1 https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(19)34636-0/fulltext
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240207043871/en/
Contacts:
Mauna Kea Technologies
investors@maunakeatech.com
NewCap Investor Relations
Aurélie Manavarere Thomas Grojean
+33 (0)1 44 71 94 94
maunakea@newcap.eu
