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Periodontitis is a significant public health concern affecting more than half of those over 30 years of age. Our research on light-activated antimicrobial agents (LAAAs) has resulted in the development of a novel, non-invasive therapy that quickly and safely treats periodontitis, thereby reducing antibiotic usage. This technology was developed for commercial use through a licence agreement with Ondine Biomedical and their subsidiary company PDT Inc., as a system called Periowave. Periowave is available in Canada, Mexico and South East Asia, has been granted CE marking and FDA approval is currently being sought. To date an estimated 92,000 treatment kits have been sold and 313,000 patients treated. The system has now also been adapted for use in hospitals to eradicate MRSA from the anterior nares thereby preventing post-surgical infections.
Impact: Health and Economic Gains:
Research has led to a wearable light source that provides a new way of treating many skin cancers and acne. The treatment is safe, convenient, and easy to use bringing benefits to patients and healthcare providers. In addition it brings economic benefits to Ambicare Health Ltd, the company commercialising it.
Significance
For skin cancer treatment, the device gives effective treatment with much reduced pain. The simplified treatment procedure allows more patients to be treated in a clinic session. For acne, the device provides a convenient at-home treatment without the application of drugs or chemicals.
Beneficiaries:
Skin cancer and acne sufferers, the clinics that treat them and Ambicare Health Ltd.
Attribution:
The work was led by Professor Ifor Samuel (PHYESTA) working with Professor James Ferguson (Ninewells Hospital, Dundee).
Reach:
The wearable light source has changed treatment in the UK and the Netherlands. The skin cancer treatment is in regular use at more than 25 clinics, and the acne treatment at more than 250 clinics.
Ground breaking and unique research carried out at the Centre for Skin Sciences at the University of Bradford has led to the realization of commercial opportunities in two very high-value consumer brands. Technologies developed in collaboration with multi-national personal-care and cosmetic companies for the treatment of skin hyper-pigmentation have been launched on the market and have reached thousands of consumers. The first product launched by Alliance-Boots (April 2012) is sold within the UK's premier skincare range (No. 7). Success in Britain led to its launch in the US, Finland and Thailand. A second product within the Diorsnow range has been launched by Parfum Dior — a branch of LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton S.A.
University of Salford researchers have transferred knowledge from research in the foot health devices sector into products and services in commercial and clinical settings, supporting a £100 billion global healthcare equipment and supplies industry, contributing to economies and to quality of life on a daily basis for those with foot and lower limb health problems, world-wide. The benefiting partners are part of global businesses and public and private sector clinical services and researchers have pioneered the connection of research to commercial foot health contexts on a unique scale:
Implementation of photonic quasi-crystals on light emitting diodes (LEDs) can produce more light using less energy. This technology was brought to the global market via the successful commercialisation of laboratory devices derived from research in nanophotonics and the subsequent development of photonic quasi-crystals by a multi-disciplinary team from the University of Southampton. The intellectual property of the technology was acquired and adopted in 2008 by Luxtaltek Corporation, a global manufacturer of LEDs. In the period 2008-2012 Luxtaltek Corporation, made total profits of £35 million utilising the photonic quasi-crystal LED technology, employing more than 300 people in its production facilities.
Research from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering led to healthcare impact through treatment of burns patients and those with chronic non-healing wounds using the culture and expansion of the patient's own skin cells. This impact was achieved by establishing a product, MySkin®, as the UK's first and only commercially available complete service for the culture and delivery of patient's skin cells. It is now used in 11 out of the UK's 12 major burns units for patients in danger of death from extensive burns. MySkin® benefits patients, clinicians and nurses and was Biomedical Product of the Year in 2008 (see Sky News video (2008) on www.Ilika.com).
The university's Pharmacy and Pharmacology unit has developed and validated novel in silico and in vitro/ex vivo models for use by the pharma industry to select drug candidates, optimise formulations, determine the posology for clinical trials and show bioequivalence. This resulted in: the approval of two products for actinic keratosis (Picato® and Zyclara®); a generic nail formulation approved for use based on the demonstration of equivalence using the in vitro/ex vivo models described with no clinical testing (the first time this has occurred); and the translation and commercialisation of two dermal drug delivery-based patented technologies (licensing deals with Sinclair IS and major pharmaceutical companies).
Extensible fibrillin-rich microfibrils are the template for elastic fibres that endow dynamic tissues with elastic recoil. Researchers at the University of Manchester (UoM) showed that microfibrils are degraded in photoaged skin. We developed a rapid in vivo assay, `The Manchester Patch Test Assay', which predicts the potential of anti-ageing products to restore microfibrils in photoaged skin. The assay was used to demonstrate the efficacy of a Boots Healthcare anti-ageing product and was showcased on the BBC's Horizon in 2007. Impacts include: dramatically increased sales for Boots, investment and changes to the product development strategies of more than 10 international personal care companies, which have used our assay to support product claims.
Fundamental research on developmental biology of skin and skin appendages carried out by Prof Colin Jahoda's group has led to progress in the isolation of specific adult cell populations, understanding of their roles in skin and hair regeneration, and advances towards clinical applications. This has led to the development of new methods to replace human hair follicles, and has been the basis for multi-million dollar research and development projects by companies in the UK, the US and Japan. The Durham research has enabled Intercytex Ltd. to attract £27M in VC funding and £30M in an IPO in 2009, progressing to Phase IIa clinical trials. The US company Aderans Research Institute has spent $100 million in developing this "hair cloning" technology. A Durham University spinout company, ClarinnisBio, was also established in 2009, and has to date attracted ca. £1M in investment and has employed two scientists, in a region of the UK that suffers from relatively high levels of unemployment.
Circadian rhythms impact upon a large proportion of human biology. Disruption due to genetic or environmental (e.g. altered sleep patterns in shift workers) cues results in reduced quality of life and increased morbidity for millions of people every year.
Researchers at Surrey first demonstrated blue light sensitivity of the human circadian system, resulting in increased alertness and mood. This led to changes in international lighting standards and the development and use of novel lighting systems, such as blue-enriched polychromatic lighting. These systems have been employed in homes for older people, factories, offices, hospitals and schools, increasing health and wellbeing.