Tolonium chloride to be used in photo-activated disinfection
Zila Professional Pharmaceuticals, a division of Zila, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZILA), international provider of healthcare and biotechnology products and services for dental/medical professionals and consumers, announced it has contracted to supply Zila� Tolonium Chloride, a patented pharmaceutical-grade form of the vital stain toluidine blue, to Denfotex Ltd., a British firm, for worldwide use in photo-activated disinfection (PAD) in the oral cavity.
In the PAD process, dilute Zila Tolonium Chloride is applied with a unit dose device to the targeted surface of the tooth or in the root canal. A needle-mounted diode laser tuned to the light frequency of Zila Tolonium Chloride illuminates the target, exciting the chemical�s molecules and killing the bacteria. This entirely painless, non-invasive photodynamic disinfecting process takes less than two minutes.
One of the major causes of failure of restorations, crowns, bridges and root canals is recurrent decay, brought on by incomplete disinfection of the tooth prior to its restoration. "It is estimated that approximately one billion such oral disinfection procedures could be performed annually worldwide," said a Denfotex spokesman, whose company will sell, directly and through third party dental products distributors, both the unit dose Zila Tolonium Chloride and the necessary laser delivery system. "This innovation would be impossible without the pharmaceutical-grade material we have contracted to purchase from Zila," the spokesman noted, while also crediting the groundbreaking photo-activated disinfection research performed at the renowned Eastman Dental Institute in London, England, which patented the process. Denfotex owns an exclusive worldwide license for applications of the technology to teeth, and has other patent applications pending.
Dr. Ralph Green, Vice President and General Manager of Zila Professional Pharmaceuticals, observed, "Zila Technical Operations has spent many millions of dollars and more than 10 years perfecting the patented Zila Tolonium Chloride manufacturing process and laying the scientific groundwork for its use in a wide range of medical applications, including the detection and treatment of cancer. Today�s announcement focusing on the use of this unique chemical on common oral complications is further evidence of the broad utility of our technology." Dr. Green said Zila will charge Denfotex for the material supplied and will receive royalties on each unit sold.
