Company France
Based upon the company's proprietary technology and know how in the field of nanotechnology, they have developed functional nanocoatings with unique properties and product characteristics (3 patents pending).
As of today, the company is specialized in surface functionalization in the following fields:
- Prevention of biofilm
- Lubrication
- Cell adhesion
Technology
Molecules for Nanocoating
The company has substantial expertise and know how in the field of mineral and metallic surface functionalization. This functionalization relies on molecules that bind to a solid surface in a selfassembled monolayer organization and present modular properties.
These dual-purpose molecules are the core of The company’ IP portfolio: 3 patents are pending covering the functionalization process, a broad range of molecules, their synthesis process and
their industrial applications.
Coating Process
The company bisphoshonic molecules bind oxide surfaces as self assembled monolayer. Due to their high affinity for oxidized surfaces, we have developed polyvalent, simple and cost effective protocols adapted to the covalent functionalization of a wide range of metals or alloys such as iron, stainless steel, silicium, titanium, copper, zirconium, brass, aluminium, aluminium oxide.
Applications
Oral care
The company develops innovative oral care additives for toothpaste and mouth rinse with strong preventive anti-bacterial capabilities which dramatically help to improve dental hygiene. Such preventive health feature is of strong interest for all players in the highly competitive oral care market.
A family of molecules has been validated in preclinical studies and strongly reduces dental biofilm and caries score in a preventive way.
The anti-caries efficacy of The company agent on dental caries prevention was evaluated in an animal model and compared to the one of fluoride (collaboration with Professor Goldberg, University of Paris V).
On rats challenged during 3 weeks with a cariogenic diet, the number
and the severity of caries were determined for each group of rats.
Analysis of the results
reveals that animals treated with water supplemented with our molecules developed far less caries than animals receiving fluoride.
Toxicological analysis on The company molecules have been performed by a recognized company working in full compliance with OECD guidelines and GLP principles. A first set of 4 tests have been realized which clearly demonstrate:
- No mutagenic activity
- No toxicity in a single oral administration in rats of up to 2 gram/kilos of body weight
- No toxicity in a 14-days study by oral route in rats of up to 1 gram/kilos of body
weight/day.
- No irritation and inflammation on the mucous membrane of Hamster cheek pouch.
This preclinical validation shows the extremely powerful anti caries capabilities and demonstrates that The company molecules bring a strong added value in the prevention of dental caries and parodontopathies, diseases that continues to affect the vast majority of people.
Industrial Disinfection
The company is engaged in the development of a unique offer for industrial formulations to prevent microbiological contamination (salmonella, listeria, legionnella). Such chemical formulations for surface treatment will enhance sanitary security for agricultural and foodstuff industries as well as for healthcare professionals.
The properties of our molecules are:
- Inhibition of biofilm formation
- Ease the removal of biofilm
- Long term protection of treated surfaces
- Non toxic and non biocide
- Novel principle of action
On an untreated surface, the biofilm is dense and bacteria are embedded in a large amount of exopolymer, favouring resistance to antiseptic treatment.
When treated with surfactis molecules, a strong decrease (>90%) of microbiological contamination is observed. Moreover, Pseudomonas fluorescens are isolated, so that disinfection can be easily performed by antiseptic solutions.
Lubrication
The company has developed covalent hydrophobic and lipophobic monolayers coatings that reduce greatly surface free energies.
The very weak surface free energy (< 10 mJ/m2) generated by The company molecules improves sliding effects between to identical coated surfaces or even between a coated and a non coated surface or foreign matter (e.g. dust, solvents, oil).
The high bond strength of the layer on different substrates, long term stability, low surface energy and wetting characteristics make them great candidates as anti-stiction coatings for MEMS applications like accelerometers, sensors, mirrors, actuators, resonators, inkjet and RF devices.
Cell adhesion
The company has developed a chemical process to bind any peptide to the extremity (c) of bisphosphonic molecules. Such molecules are tools to graft active peptide on different surfaces and are of interest in a broad range of applications.
One application is to modify surfaces to increase adhesion of osteoblasts on prosthesis and implants. The properties of such biomaterials will be to increase osteo-integration of prosthesis and dental implants.
The market of orthopedic and dental implants is rapidly growing due to the ageing of population and high clinical success. Metal implants, such as titanium alloys, are widely used because of their high mechanical properties and biocorrosion resistance. However, metal implants are biocompatible but have not osteogenic properties in order to promote bone healing. Their osteointegration or biological anchoring to the skeleton may be improved by surface treatments.
