Heidelberg, Germany –BioMed X Innovation Centre announced the official start of a new research group established through joint crowdsourcing efforts with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. as a continuum of their original collaboration facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation in January 2016. This new group will focus on the development of novel methods for the disruption of oral biofilms. The research group is based at the BioMed X Innovation Centre in Heidelberg, Germany, and will collaborate with research departments of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. in New Jersey, USA.
This research group is seeking the potential to unravel novel methods to remove bacterial biofilms from oral surfaces. Oral biofilms consist of a large variety of microorganisms embedded in a complex and robust extracellular matrix. Attached to the tooth surface, these biofilms can cause plaque, a predecessor of many periodontal diseases, such as gum disease and caries. Disrupting this matrix will prevent bacteria from nesting in the oral cavity. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 60 to 90 per cent of school children and nearly 100 per cent of adults worldwide have periodontal diseases, often leading to pain and discomfort. About 5 to 10 per cent of public health expenditure in high-income countries relates to curative dental care, a significant economic burden for healthcare systems.
Using a worldwide crowdsourcing approach, BioMed X and Johnson & Johnson Innovation have jointly selected scientists from leading academic institutions around the globe to join the new research group within BioMed X’s open innovation lab. Dr. Balendu Avvaru has been appointed as the group leader of the new team, based on his outstanding track record in crystallography and microbiology at renowned research centres such as the German Cancer Research Centre, CNRS in France and the Icahn School of Medicine in New York.
“We are excited to initiate this new project in the field of consumer healthcare together with Johnson & Johnson Innovation.” said Mr. Christian Tidona, founder and Managing Director of BioMed X. “During the last three years, we have focused on a variety of different therapeutic areas together with our pharma partners. With this project, we hope to demonstrate that our new innovation model also works in other market segments such as consumer care.”