Novabay Technology
Overview
We developed our Aganocide compounds through research and development based on the human body’s natural immune system and the molecules involved in combating infections. The body’s primary defense against infection is the anatomic barrier of the skin and mucous membranes. Once pathogens penetrate the primary defense, the next line of defense is provided by the white blood cells. The most numerous of the white blood cells is the neutrophil. When it encounters a bacterium or other pathogen, the neutrophil engulfs it and generates a series of small molecules with which to destroy it. The process in which these molecules are created is called the “oxidative burst”. These molecules typically have a very short life as they are created “on demand” to accomplish a specific task. We have focused our efforts on understanding these molecules and finding ways, primarily by chemical modification, to impart qualities to them to allow them to be developed as therapeutic products.
Aganocide Compounds
Our proprietary Aganocide compounds work by mimicking our own natural defense against infection. Since our immune system works without ever creating resistance, NovaBay has taken the effective and rapidly acting molecules that function within our own bodies and created stable analogs of these molecules. Our lead Aganocide compound is NVC-422, but we have synthesized several other analogs.
Our Aganocide compounds are:
- Fast acting
- Broad in spectrum of activity
- Effective against multi-drug resistant bacteria
- Effective against biofilm
- Have a good safety profile
Fast
Unlike most antibiotics, which can take many hours to kill certain kinds of bacteria, NVC-101 and the Aganocide compounds, even at small doses, can kill bacteria in minutes.
Broad spectrum of activity
NVC-101 and our Aganocide compounds have killed, in vitro , all bacteria, viruses, yeasts and fungi against which they have been tested.
Effective against multi-drug resistant bacteria
Our Aganocide compounds were highly effective in in vitro studies against multi-drug resistant bacteria including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE).
Effective against biofilm
In data developed at an independent laboratory on our behalf and at our direction, NVC-422 was demonstrated to be highly effective against well-established biofilm grown on urinary tract catheters.
High therapeutic index
Both NVC-101 and NVC-422 demonstrate greater in vitro therapeutic index (ratio of toxicity to efficacy) than existing topical antiseptics.
Biofilm
The Center for Integrative Biology and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health estimates that 80% of all infections in the US involve biofilm. At present, there is no effective treatment that both disrupts the development of biofilm and eradicates the bacteria within. NovaBay’s products, however, have demonstrated in in-vitro and in-vivo studies the ability to penetrate biofilm, as well as to kill microbes sheltered within the biofilm.
Biofilm is often associated with conditions such as:
- Sinus infections
- Ear infections
- Chronic wounds
- Infections related to cystic fibrosis
- Catheters
- Stents
- Contact lenses
- Bone implants
- Cochlear implants
- Breast implants
Many bacteria spend much of their existence within a matrix that they create, called biofilm. Biofilm consists of mucopolysaccharide (or slime-like) structures produced by microorganisms as a defense mechanism against their environment. Encased in biofilm, bacteria can survive for prolonged periods by assuming a dormant state. When bacteria are in a dormant state, they are largely immune to antibiotics, which are generally only effective against bacteria during specific non-dormant stages in their life cycle. When bacteria are protected by biofilm, antibiotics frequently provide only temporary relief and bacteria can eventually emerge from their biofilm to re-infect the patient. In biofilm, bacteria are also largely protected from white blood cells that normally kill most pathogens that enter the body. White blood cells combat bacteria by engulfing them, which they are unable to do once bacteria have created biofilm. Furthermore, many commonly used antiseptics are neutralized by biofilm.
Antibiotic Resistance
Bacteria are becoming resistant to different classes of existing antibiotics at increasing rates. These increasing levels of resistance are principally the result of repeated exposure of bacteria to non-lethal quantities of antibiotics and the ability of certain bacteria to transmit mutant genes to other bacterial species, thus enabling different species of bacteria to survive the antibiotic to which the first species was exposed. The increase in antibiotic resistance since 1990 has been substantial and is especially prevalent in hospital environments. According to the State of Pennsylvania 2005 Report, 14% of hospital ICU infections were fatal and those infections accounted for $2.9 billion in increased costs.
NovaBay Publications
Published Articles
2011
Structure stability/activity relationships of sulfone stabilized
N,N- dichloroamines
Novel 3-chlorooxazolidin-2-ones as antimicrobial agents
Novel N- chloroheterocyclic antimicrobials
Chemical Characterization and Biological Properties of NVC-422,
a Novel, Stable N- Chlorotaurine Analog
2009
N,N- Dichloroaminosulfonic acids as novel topical antimicrobial agents
Stieglitz rearrangement of N,N- dichloro-β,β-disubstituted taurines under mild aqueous conditions
Quaternary ammonium N , N -dichloroamines as topical, antimicrobial agents
2008
N- Chloro-2,2-dimethyltaurines: a new class of remarkably stable N- chlorotaurines
2007
Hypochlorous Acid as a Potential Wound Care Agent
Posters
2011
American Chemical Society: N-Chlorooxazolidin-2-onesas Antimicrobial Agents at Neutral pH
American Chemical Society: Quaternary ammonium stabilized dichloroamines as antimicrobial agents
Simon Foundation for Continenence - NVC-422 Prevents Urinary Catheter Blockage and Encrustation
Wound Healing Society - NeutroPhase® with Sorbact® Dramatically Enhances the Speed of Wound Healing
2010
American Chemical Society: Water-soluble N-chloroheterocycles as topical antimicrobial agents
Association for Research in Vision and Opthamology - Topical Ophthalmic Agent
Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy - Cath. Patency
Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy - Anticoagulant
Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy - Influenza
Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy - Tissue Infection
Infectious Diseases Society of America - Impetigo
Infectious Diseases Society of America - Infected Nail
2009
American Chemical Society - Efficacy of NVC-422 / Biofilm
2008
American Chemical Society - N , N -Dichloroamin
Relevant Articles
Impetigo
Emerging Infectious Diseases: NVC-422 topical gel for the treatment of Impetigo
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection
Novel Compound Found to Inhibit Biofilm Formation in Urinary Catheters (Including video)
Why Are Foley Catheters So Vulnerable to Encrustation and Blockage by Crystalline Biofilm?
Drug-Resistant Bacteria
IJCEP: AgaDerm May be an Alternative to Bacitracin and Neomycin for Treating Skin Infections
Novel Infected Tissue Model for Pre-Clinical Evaluation of Antimicrobial Compounds (Including Video)
Compounds Do Double Duty as Antimicrobials and Anticoagulants (Including Video)
Drug-resistant infections Kill More Americans than AIDS and Breast Cancer Combined
World Health Organization Whitepaper on Antimicrobial Resistance
H1N1 Influenza
Aganocide Compounds Prove Effective against H1N1 Influenza Virus (Including Video)
