NIH/NIDCR awards $1.1 million grant to Agenta for soft tissue healing development

Nov 12 2010

Agenta Biotechnologies, Inc., a private biotechnology company, announced that it has received a $1.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH/NIDCR) for the further development of a biologically activated membrane to improve soft tissue healing associated with oral surgery. This grant is funded by the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program of the NIH and is the second such award received by Agenta.

“Eventually these improvements in spine and vertebral disc treatments may allow for repair without surgery and may also yield improvements in skin healing caused by burns, age, sun damage and diseases including diabetes”

"We are honored to have received this award and to again have our technology recognized and validated by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research," said Arthur DeCarlo, D.D.S., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Agenta Biotechnologies. "This highly competitive grant underwent rigorous peer review by the NIH and NIDCR and recognizes the potential of Agenta's novel technology to provide improved healing and avoid serious complications following oral surgery."

Agenta's novel technology leverages specialized protein molecules that enhance growth factor activity and promote healing through a variety of known mechanisms. These include carrying and activating important growth factors in healing; providing structure; increasing blood supply and tissue hydration. Accordingly, the company believes that these potential therapeutics may have application in the healing of bone, cartilage, skin and discs in the spine, as well as serving as coatings for vascular stents and implants. "Eventually these improvements in spine and vertebral disc treatments may allow for repair without surgery and may also yield improvements in skin healing caused by burns, age, sun damage and diseases including diabetes," said Dr. DeCarlo.

In partnership with Bonenta, Inc., Agenta is currently applying its technology to the development of therapeutics for enhanced bone healing in the skull, and for growth of essential new bone in the jaw and around teeth. Using funds from a previous NIH SBIR grant directed at bone repair, the companies have already reported positive pre-clinical data and are preparing for FDA interactions as the next step toward human clinical trials. "Encouraging preclinical results suggest that our technology may lead to improvements in how well, and how fast, bones and implants heal," continued Dr. DeCarlo.