Mauna Kea Technologies Partners with Metrodora to Create First U.S. Center of Excellence for the Use of Cellvizio® to Identify and Treat Food Intolerance in Adults

Cellvizio Food Intolerance Test (C-FIT) delivers real-time, in vivo visibility to accurately identify food intolerance in patients suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Metrodora will serve as Center of Excellence for patient care and physician training to enable broad access to this breakthrough procedure

Paris, Boston and Salt Lake City, March 6, 2024 – 5:45 p.m. CET – Mauna Kea Technologies (Euronext Growth: ALMKT), inventor of Cellvizio^®, the multidisciplinary probe and needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (p/nCLE) platform, and Metrodora Institute, a leading multispecialty healthcare institute, today announced the formation of a new partnership. This collaboration aims to establish Metrodora Institute as the first U.S. Center of Excellence that will serve as the model of patient care and physician training on the use of Cellvizio for identifying and treating food intolerances in patients suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The Cellvizio Food Intolerance Test (C-FIT) offers a groundbreaking approach to diagnosing food intolerances, providing a real-time visualization of the intestinal barrier during a food challenge.

In the United States, about 10-15% of the general adult population suffers from IBS, a condition reportedly linked to atypical food intolerance in the majority of cases, characterized by a group of symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits (diarrhea, constipation, or both). This condition significantly affects the quality of life of those affected 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.

"This partnership is perfectly aligned with our strategic ambition and represents a significant step forward in expanding the use of Cellvizio in the food intolerance markets. The Cellvizio U.S. Center of Excellence at the Metrodora Institute serves as a key driver in increasing awareness among the medical and patient communities about C-FIT, positioning it as a benchmark method for food intolerance detection", said Sacha Loiseau, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mauna Kea Technologies. "There is an urgent, unmet need for the immense pool of IBS patients who endure debilitating daily complications. It is crucial to swiftly extend the C-FIT procedure to as broad an audience as possible."

Metrodora was established in 2021 as a multidisciplinary care and research center for people with neuroimmune disorders, including neurogastrointestinal disorders. Metrodora’s state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center in Salt Lake City, Utah, offers advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to evaluate and treat a range of complex and routine conditions. 

“We couldn’t be more excited about being named the first U.S. Center of Excellence for implementing and serving as a healthcare model for the C-FIT procedure,” said John Wirthlin, CEO, Metrodora Institute. “Many patients live with undiagnosed food intolerances, simply because existing testing methods cannot identify the underlying issues. Our vision is that Metrodora Institute will adopt novel technologies like Cellvizio to improve the lives of the patients we serve.”