EktaH is a biotechnology start-up committed to scientific innovation to reduce food intake and thus body weight in obese individuals.
EktaH was born out of the meeting between Professor Naim Khan, a researcher at the University of Bourgogne who received an award in 2020 from the Academy of Medicine for his work on the taste perception of dietary fats and the possible benefit of lipid taste receptors agonists in the treatment of obesity, with Xavier Boidevézi, entrepreneur, marketing expert, visionary and operational project manager. The scientific approach consists of identifying and synthesising lipid agonists able to activate the oral fat taste receptors more intensely than dietary fatty acids, thus allowing for the activation of the tongue-brain-gut axis to release anorexigenic peptides and trigger early satiety, instantly leading to a reduction in dietary intake and thus body weight.
These agonists contain no calories and are thought to trigger more intense pleasure that naturally consumed fatty foods.
Obesity, a major issue in the 21st century
According to estimations, the number of individuals suffering from obesity in 2021, that is, with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, ranges from 750 to 900 million across the world. If we consider overweight individuals, that is, those with a BMI* between 25 and 30, this target is doubled. It is a market experiencing strong growth with a new obese individual appearing every second in the world. Obesity has been recognised by the World Health Organisation as a chronic disease since 1997. Each year, it kills 180,000 people in France, making it the biggest killer among diseases. Across the globe, 5 people die of it every minute. Obesity primarily kills due to comorbidities such as hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes or sleep apnoea. By way of comparison, cancer has 160,000 victims and AIDS 500.
*BMI = weight in kg/height (in m)2
Désactivé
Bring back pleasure to the lives of all obese or overweight individuals, allowing them to reduce their body weight and regain a diet that’s healthy, delicious and balanced, without depriving themselves of anything.
Above all else, the meeting of two experts in their respective fields
In December 2020, Professor Naim Khan, director of the Nutrition & Toxicology Physiology team (NUTox) affiliated with INSERM UMR 1231/UB/AgroSup Dijon “Lipids, Nutrition, Cancer” at the University of Bourgogne met with Xavier Boidevézi, a marketing expert in the FoodTech field, having previously worked at DANONE and SEB. These two leaders soon saw the complementarity between them and decided to team up to create EKTAH alongside 2 other co-founders also from the University of Bourgogne. Their goal was to become a leader in nutritional solutions to reduce obesity and overweight across the world. Prof Khan’s research projects, launched many years ago, have been subject to maturation projects funded by SATT SAYENS, allowing them to benefit from robust technology and intellectual property ever since the founding of the company.
Activé
A team that is constantly strengthened to support the company’s growth
Xavier BOIDEVEZI
A strategic visionary and overseer of the implementation of the operational structure required for the proper development of the business, he proposed the company’s major direction to the strategic board and had it approved.
Professor Naim KHAN
In charge of managing all Research & Development activities, Naim obtained scientific support in order to perform his mission in the best possible conditions.
Amira SAYED KHAN
PhD in cellular and molecular biology, Amira contributed to the work leading to the filing of the first patents. She provides the team with all of her knowledge.
EktaH's teams are committed to helping people suffering from obesity to regain their balance, and are working on a daily basis to find solutions for the future that will reduce the economic, medical and societal impact of this disease.
EktaH is lucky enough to rely on a major network of partners aiming to support the company’s development.
