ECI Biotech of Worcester, MA recently announced an exciting breakthrough in the prevention and detection of gingivitis.
One class of ECI1s newly developed Protector Proteins(TM) inhibits the proteases critical to the progression of gingivitis and can be applied to multiple oral care products such dental floss, toothbrushes, toothpaste, or oral rinses.
ECI has also developed ExpressDetect(TM) sensors, which change color in the presence of harmful pathogens, and can be applied to oral care products, including floss or oral rinses, quickly detecting the presence of proteases that lead to gingivitis.
ECI Biotech of Worcester, MA has
announced the development of a class of proteins known as Protector Proteins(TM) that can be applied to multiple oral care products to help prevent gingivitis.
This technology creates a new paradigm in the prevention of gingivitis, which has emerged as a major public health concern, particularly since numerous studies have cited various indexes of poor dental health as having an association with coronary heart disease. Specific products may include dental floss, toothbrushes, toothpaste, or oral rinses.
ECI Biotech has also developed a novel means of rapidly detecting the presence of harmful pathogens and specific proteases. Known as ExpressDetect(TM), this detection system can be applied to oral care products, including floss or oral rinses to detect the presence of proteases that lead to gingivitis.
Preventing and Detecting Gingivitis
Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the major causative agents of chronic adult periodontal disease, producing a wide array of virulence factors, with proteases referred to as 3gingipains2 playing a major role. Due to their
crucial role in pathogenesis, proteases are good antimicrobial targets.
One class of the Protector Proteins(TM) is a robust protease inhibitor and ECI has compelling biochemical evidence that shows the ability of these Protector Proteins(TM) to inhibit the major proteases of P. gingivalis. This provides an excellent therapeutic approach to combat gingivitis, creating the opportunity to develop a wide variety of oral health care products to serve as possible delivery agents.
Depending on the exact products that are formulated with the application of ECI technologies, a system of oral health care could be developed utilizing a dental floss that would change colors if gingivitis is present, followed by the use of a mouthwash that would inhibit the proliferation of gingipain proteases critical to the progression of gingivitis.
Technological Advances
"We think that our technology is very compelling, with tremendous potential for applications having a major impact on health," notes Dr. Mitchell Sanders, president of ECI Biotech. "This creates an exciting opportunity for us and potential partners to produce and market many new products employing our technology, which can readily detect toxins and then biochemically turn off those toxins."
Innovations and Applications
ECI Biotech maintains executive offices and research facilities located at 6 Park Avenue, in Worcester, Massachusetts. The company, founded in 1998, engages in breakthrough research on protein design and expression. ECI is developing and licensing its Protector Proteins(TM) and ExpressDetect(TM) technologies for use in a wide range of industries with unmet needs, including infection diagnostics and therapeutic proteins for healing. ECI1s
ExpressDetect(TM) sensor technology is a rapid, low cost means of delivering valuable information to caregivers. ExpressDetect(TM) sensors change color in the presence of harmful pathogens, making this technology applicable to most medical devices. Protector Proteins(TM) have broad applicability as a
means to enhance current medical devices by increasing cell viability, promoting broad protease inhibition and creating a bacteriostatic environment.
