Tuncay Yilmaz

Dysphagia affects nearly 590 million people worldwide and leads to choking, malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, and loss of dignity. Available thickeners are dominated by a few multinational companies and often expensive or inaccessible, especially in low and middle-income countries. This creates a major accessibility and inclusion gap. PraThick® addresses this problem by providing affordable, IDDSI-compliant thickening solutions that support safe swallowing, proper hydration, and early clinical diagnosis, making dysphagia care more equitable.

PraThick® is an innovative thickening system designed to stabilise liquid texture for safe swallowing. Its formulation ensures IDDSI-level consistency, amylase resistance, transparency, and easy preparation across beverages and meals. Unlike traditional thickeners, PraThick® provides both nutritional and diagnostic support through gel-based systems and barium-enhanced formulations. By combining affordability with clinical reliability, it offers a novel, comprehensive approach to managing dysphagia in hospitals, care homes, and home-care environments.

KıvamPRO has developed and launched IDDSI-compliant thickeners, fast-dissolving gels, and barium-based diagnostic formulations. Products are already used by hospitals, speech therapists, dietitians, and pharmacies across Turkey, generating revenue since 2024. The company has secured national R&D funding, built pilot production capacity, registered trademarks (in progress), and developed partnerships with clinicians. KıvamPRO is now preparing for international expansion and scaling efforts, including regulatory pathways in Europe and the UK.