Presentation of the company

Objectives

In 2006, Gilles D. Parisot and Walter Wahli have created Exichol with the ambition to contribute to the prevention and treatment of a cluster of metabolic abnormalities known as metabolic syndrome, using Nutrigenomics to promote novel therapeutic combinations of micronutrients.

Mission

The metabolic syndrome patients are the focus of Exichol’s novel combinatorial micronutrition approach that, as first line intervention, aims at restoring impaired energy metabolism. While Exichol’s micro-dosed nutritional products have demonstrated clinical efficacy in lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels, their mechanisms of action have remained elusive. Thus, Exichol’s research efforts aim at unveiling these mechanisms with the ultimate goal to optimize new combined micronutrient products based on the comprehension of their molecular mode of action at the genome level.

Innovative products

A novel generation of micronutrient combinations

Helped by nutrigenomics, Exichol has developed an unique innovative approach to prevent and treat metabolic deregulations, based on novel micronutrient combinations that have a powerful impact on plasma lipid parameters (LDL, triglycerides) known to be involved in the initiation and progression of metabolic diseases. The concept of this novel and efficient approach is an informed combination of natural ingredients that, at low doses, synergize to produce effects largely superior to those obtained by individual components. These effects are suggestive of ingredient genome interactions involving genes that modulate the initiation, progression and severity of metabolism disturbances.

This knowledge was gained in animal models of obesity. When fed a diet supplemented with the combined micronutrients, significant lipid lowering effects were observed. Gene expression profiling of the impact of the combined micronutrients in metabolic organs revealed an influence on metabolic pathways lowering circulating lipids. These results open an avenue to the comprehension of the mode of action of micronutrition in its beneficial balancing effects on lipid metabolism. This approach is actively pursued with the aim to unveil the detailed interaction scheme between micronutrient combinations and the genome. This knowledge helps to formulate novel, even more efficient, micronutrient combinations for preventive and therapeutic use.

Nutrigenomics services

Exichol, in collaboration with the Center for Integrative Genomics of the University of Lausanne (http://www.unil.ch/cig), is providing the agroalimentary industry with access to state-of-the-art nutrigenomics studies.

Management team

Gilles D. Parisot, CEO, co-founder

Science Po, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Finance. After a few years of macroeconomic research at the French Planing Office, Gilles gained experience in marketing and communication at Colgate Palmolive, then Ogilvy & Mather. President of Market Sight (market studies and strategic analyses), Gilles met via Sanofi medical research teams in nutrition, which ask him to animate and structure their network and development. After a few years, he created Bioresearch & Partners to industrialize the discoveries made by this network. He co-founded Exichol with professor Wahli to develop their findings on the metabolic syndrome. He was awarded a Doctor Honoris Causa degree from the University of Buenos Aires for his work and vision on environment. Gilles D. Parisot is 57 years old, and the father of two children.

Prof. Walter Wahli, CSO, co-founder

Walter Wahli studied biology at the University of Bern, where he completed a doctorate (PhD) in 1977. He worked as a post-doc researcher at the Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington in Baltimore, and was visiting associate at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda (1978-1980). He became Professor and Director of the Institute of Animal biology of the University of Lausanne in 1980 and was Research Vice-rector for the University of Lausanne from 1999 to 2003. He founded the Center for Integrative Genomics, which he directed from 2002 to 2005.

Walter Wahli has been a member of the Swiss National Science Foundation's research council since 1987 and presided over the Biology and Medicine Division from 2004 to 2006. In 2008, he became a member of the Swiss Science and Technology Council, which is the advisory body of the Federal Council, or Swiss government, in all matters relating to science policy.

His research mainly focuses on the genetic control of energy metabolism and tissue repair. He published more than 250 articles (incl. Cell, Cell Metabolism, Cancer Cell, EMBO J., Endocrine Reviews, Genes & Development, Journal of Experimental Medicine, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Molecular Cell, Molecular Endocrinology, Nature, Nature Genetics, Nature Reviews Cancer, PNAS, PLoS Biology, Science)

Dominique Weill, Director of Business Development Food and OTC

Graduate of the Institut Supérieur de Gestion (Paris), MBA in International Business (USF, San Francisco), Dominique founded the agency for communication consulting WRP Conseil, and then joined the Laboratory Santé Nutrition where he headed the commercial department. He joined Bioresearch & Partners as of its creation as director of business development. Dominique Weill is 43 years old, and the father of 3 children.

Research

Scientific Advisory Board

Prof. Walter WAHLI, PhD
CSO EXICHOL, President SAB
Genetics and Genomics of energy metabolism, Lipid metabolism
Founding Director of the Center for Integrative Genomics,
University of Lausanne

Prof. Bernard THORENS PhD
Type 2 Diabetes, Glucose metabolism,
Center for Integrative Genomics and Institute of Physiology
University of Lausanne.

International ad hoc experts invited to join the Scientific Advisory Board for the evaluation of specific projects.

Our partners