Sigrid Therapeutics announces appointment of distinguished Professor Iain Chapple to Scientific Advisory Board
World-renowned oral healthcare expert joins Sigrid’s SAB to investigate impact of the SiPore® technology on both the oral microbiome and systemic inflammatory conditions
Stockholm, Sweden, May 9th 2023. Sigrid Therapeutics (Sigrid), a Swedish consumer-centric Healthtech company today announced it has appointed world-leading oral health expert Professor Iain Chapple from the University of Birmingham’s College of Medical and Dental Sciences to its Scientific Advisory Board.
Professor Chapple will together with his research group at the University of Birmingham identify and develop further applications for the revolutionary SiPore® technology. Already being described as one of the most important innovations since fluoride, SiPore® is a patented technology that consists of precisely engineered silica particles that can be added to various oral health products to limit oral bacteria’s access to sugars and their ability to form dental biofilm. Professor Chapple and his group at Birmingham’s College of Medical and Dental Sciences will now investigate SiPore®’s broader potential beneficial impact on both the oral microbiome and systemic inflammatory conditions.
Professor Chapple commented: “This was a very easy decision, having seen the technology, scientific portfolio and safety data, it was clear that the potential oral and systemic health benefits of SiPore® are tangible and could be field changing. I was particularly drawn by the physical rather than chemical mode of action of the technology, its flexibility and broad functionality, which could significantly impact the oral as well as the gut microbiome in a positive manner. Taken together the arguments for significant health benefits are compelling and there is some exciting science to be done.”
Professor Tore Bengtsson, Sigrid co-founder and CSO, and the inventor behind the SiPore® technology added: “Through my own research into diabetes, I knew of the connection between bad metabolic health and bad oral health. We are therefore excited to work with Iain and his team to explore the possibility of using our technology to help lessen the burden of sugars in the mouth and improve both related conditions.”
Damir Konakovic, Head of Sigrid’s Oral Health Division added: “By effectively removing amylase, SiPore® decreases the availability of sugar and restricts the growth of pathogenic bacteria and the formation of dental biofilm and plaque. Therefore, as a dentist myself, I believe SiPore® could be one of the biggest innovations in preventative oral health since fluoride. However, in recent years Professor Chapple and others have already shown the links between poor oral health and other systemic metabolic diseases. Which opens even wider potential applications for SiPore®.”
SiPore® is composed of micron-sized silica particles, which are a type of synthetic amorphous silica (SAS). Naturally sourced and environmentally friendly, SAS is tasteless and odorless. It is approved as a food additive, GRAS-listed (generally recognized as safe) and is widely used in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical formulations. This means SiPore® offers the potential to be applied via a variety of consumer/patient-friendly formats.
“It’s an honor to welcome Prof. Chapple and his team at the University of Birmingham to Sigrid. Meeting them has cemented our vision for SiPore®,” says Sana Alajmovic, Sigrid’s Co-Founder and CEO. “The links between oral health and inflammatory disease show that SiPore® is a truly innovative technology that can make a major impact across a range of inter-related health conditions.”
The appointment was made through the Academic Consultancy Service, which is run by University of Birmingham Enterprise, and makes the expertise and knowledge of the University’s academics available to industry, non-profit organizations, public sector organizations and governments.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Professor Iain L C Chapple,
Director of Research, Institute of Clinical Sciences, College of Medical & Dental Sciences
The University of Birmingham
Phone +44 (0)121 4665129, Email: i.l.c.chapple@bham.ac.uk
Prof. Tore Bengtsson, Co-founder & CSO, Sigrid Therapeutics
Phone: +46705473994, Email: tore@sigridthx.com
Damir Konakovic, Head of Oral Health Division, Sigrid Therapeutics
Phone: +46791014323, Email: damir@sigridthx.com
Sana Alajmovic, Co-Founder & CEO, Sigrid Therapeutics
Phone +46 72 389 3396, Email: sana@sigridthx.com
About Professor Iain Chapple
Iain Chapple was Head of the University of Birmingham’s School of Dentistry 2016-2020. He continues to be Head of Research for the Institute of Clinical Sciences and REF2021 lead for Unit of Assessment 3. He is also Professor and Head of Periodontology within the School, and Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry with Birmingham Community Health Trust. He has honorary consultant contracts with University Hospital Birmingham Foundation Trust, Birmingham Women's and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, and the Office of the Chief Dental officer.
Iain has published over 240 research papers in the peer reviewed scientific literature, and written and edited 10 textbooks and authored 23 book chapters in the field of Periodontology, Periodontal Medicine and Surgery, Nutrition and Molecular Methods. Iain has received major grants from the Medical Research Council, European Union, Charities and Industry.
Iain is a committed an enthusiastic teacher of undergraduate and postgraduate students within Birmingham, nationally and internationally on various graduate programs across Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific rim.
Iain is former Scientific Editor of the British Dental Journal, former Associate Editor of Journal of Periodontal Research and the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, and current Associate Editor of Periodontology 2000.
Iain was awarded the Charles Tomes medal of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2012; the Distinguished Scientist Award of the International Association for Dental Research (Periodontal Research) in 2018; the Special Citation Award of the American Academy of Periodontology in 2018; and the Eminence Award of the European Federation of Periodontology in 2022.
Iain was President of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Periodontal Research Group (PRG-2006-7), Treasurer (2007-2013) and Secretary General (2016-2019) of the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and is currently Treasurer of the UK Oral and Dental Research Trust. He co-chairs the annual EFP workshops (research and education).
Iain is clinical lead for a hospital regional specialist periodontal service (referral base of 6-million) and a national oral care service for adult Epidermolysis Bullosa patients.
Iain was awarded an MBE in the 2022 Queen’s honours list for services to Oral and Dental Health.
About Sigrid Therapeutics
Sigrid Therapeutics (Sigrid) is a clinical-stage consumer focused health tech company pioneering a new class of engineered materials to prevent and treat metabolic disease and disorders, including type 2 diabetes. The Company’s lead product candidate, SiPore21®, is an orally-administered medical device based on the Company’s proprietary platform technology, SiPore®. Designed to act locally in the gut, SiPore21® consists of precisely engineered micron-sized mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) with tailored porosity. Clinical data confirms the beneficial effects of MSPs on a range of metabolic parameters and their excellent safety profile. Upon its approval, SiPore21® will be the first medical treatment available for reduction of blood sugar levels in people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. https://www.sigridthx.com/.
About the University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 6,500 international students from over 150 countries.University of Birmingham Enterprise helps students and researchers turn their ideas into new services, products and enterprises that meet real-world needs. We also support innovators and entrepreneurs with mentoring, advice, and training and manage the University’s Academic Consultancy Service. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
References
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Mesoporous Silica with Precisely Controlled Pores Reduces Food Efficiency and Suppresses Weight Gain in Mice, Nanomedicine, 2020, https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/10.2217/nnm-2019-0262
Entrapping Digestive Enzymes with Engineered Mesoporous Silica Particles Reduces. Metabolic Risk Factors in Humans, Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202000057
Towards mesoporous silica as a pharmaceutical treatment for obesity - impact on lipid digestion and absorption, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.02.001
Oral intake of mesoporous silica is safe and well tolerated in male humans, PLoS ONE, 2020, DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202000057. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0240030
Engineered mesoporous silica reduces long-term blood glucose, HbA1c, and improves metabolic parameters in prediabetics, Nanomedicine, 2022, https://doi.org/10.2217/nnm-2021-0235
Mesoporous Silica Particles Retain their Structure and Function While Passing Through the Gastrointestinal Tracts of Mice and Humans, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.2c16710.
