Periodontal disease diagnostics

The treatment of conditions such as periodontal gum disease cost the UK around £3 billion each year - yet there is no simple, reliable method for real-time disease diagnosis or monitoring its response to treatment.

In 2012, OJ-Bio, Orla Protein Technologies and Newcastle University secured £1m from the UK Technology Strategy Board's Investment in Nanoscience scheme to develop a portable, real-time, periodontal disease diagnostic device.

Like all products developed using OJ-Bio's platform, the device will detect protein markers of disease in clinical samples (in this case saliva) using disposable low-cost bio-chips housed in hand-held diagnostic devices

Diagnostic device development
An earlier study had already shown that OJ-Bio's technology could detect disease-specific indicator proteins (matrix metallo-proteases) in saliva. The £1m of new funding is for development and trial of a device for use in oral health applications.

During the clinical study the device will be used to monitor gum disease and the effects of treatment. Results will be compared with more usual forms of dental clinical testing and the study will also refine the ease with which people can use the device (dentists, but also patients themselves).

The result will be a device that could transform the way gum disease is monitored and treated - and we welcome approaches from organisations wishing to partner or licence this technology.