Mechanism of Action
Many attempts to control and eliminate biofilms focus on disrupting nutrient channels, inhibiting quorum sensing compounds within the exopolysaccharide matrix, activating or deactivating specific bacterial genes to alter the form of the biofilm, and attempts prevent the initial formation of a microbial biofilm. Countless studies have shown that established microbial biofilms are very resilient to many chemical and mechanical removal procedures. EPIEN Medical has taken a different approach altogether. Through our studies, we have discovered that biofilm matrix is very susceptible to irreversible desiccation and denaturation. The company’s patented HybenX® products have been designed to solvate and irreversibly denature tertiary and quaternary protein and polysaccharide structures, leaving coagulated materials on the surface of the tissue.The hygroscopicity of the sulfonated aromatic compounds in HybenX® causes immediate denaturation of the superficial layer of biological materials of oral tissues through highly localized and controlled contact desiccation. The process is inherently self-limiting: once the compounds in HybenX® are solvated by water molecules, no further desiccation or denaturation occurs. Because HybenX® has low water content the sulfonic acids are not disassociated, and HybenX® has the properties of an intense desiccant rather than those of an acid. Our safety studies have confirmed this action on soft and hard oral tissues.
