Method and System for Preventing Sore Throat in Humans

• US 20170100330A1
• Filed: 12/20/2016
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seed Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Joseph E. Kovarik, Katherine Rose Kovarik
• Inventors: Kovarik, Joseph E., Kovarik, Katherine Rose
• Granted Patent: US 10,085,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/566 Intra-oral devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/047 having two or more hydroxy groups, e.g. sorbitol
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/74 Bacteria therapeutic use of a bacterial protein A61K38/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/741 Probiotics probiotic yeast, e.g. saccharomyces A61K36/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/744 Lactic acid bacteria, e.g. enterococci, pediococci, lactococci, streptococci or leuconostocs
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 45/06 Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0045 the fluorescent agent being a peptide or protein used for imaging or diagnosis in vivo
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0069 the agent being in a particular physical galenical form
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/006 Oral mucosa, e.g. mucoadhesive forms, sublingual droplets; Buccal patches or films; Buccal sprays
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/7007 Drug-containing films, membranes or sheets A61K9/0041, A61K9/0043, A61K9/006, A61K9/0063 take precedence

Abstract

A method and system to prevent sore throat infections in humans includes the administration of an active ingredient to a site on the mucus membranes of the throat of a human that inhibits adherence and promotes desorption of S. pyogenes to soft tissue surfaces, such as the pharyngeal and oral mucosa of a human. A mucoadhesive strip having a surface topography that resists bioadhesion of undesired bacteria that are typically present in a human'"'"'s mouth is preferably employed and that has one or more encapsulated agents selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic; lactic acid bacteria; S. pyogenes modified by a CRISPR-Cas system to reduce one or more virulence factors; and a breath mint solution.

Claims

1. A buccal bioadhesive strip, comprising:

a strip having a first and second side, said first side having a surface comprising a pattern defined by a plurality of spaced apart features each having at least one microscale dimension and having at least one neighboring feature having a substantially different geometry, wherein an average spacing between adjacent ones of said features is between 0.5 and 5 .mu.m in at least a portion of said surface, the first side having a bioadhesive that is adapted to bind to a mucosal membrane for at least 1 hour while inside a person'"'"'s mouth, wherein said strip extends over a majority of the soft palate, and wherein said strip includes xylitol and at least one encapsulated feature containing one of an analgesic, and a lactic acid bacteria that coaggregates with S. pyogenes.

2. The strip of claim 1, wherein said strip includes at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of pullulan, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, polyethylene glycol, tragacanth gum, guar gum, acacia gum, arabic gum, polyacrylic acid, methylmethacrylate copolymer, carboxyvinyl polymer, amylose, high amylose starch, hydroxypropylated high amylose starch, dextrin, pectin, chitin, chitosan, levan, elsinan, collagen, gelatin, zein, gluten, soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate, casein and mixtures thereof.

3. The strip of claim 1, wherein said strip includes at least 0.2% xylitol by weight.

4. The strip of claim 1, wherein said strip reduces the adhesion of S. pyogenes to an epithelial tissue of a person'"'"'s mouth, and wherein said strip includes between 0.2 and 0.9% xylitol by weight.

5. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip comprises bioluminescent material.

6. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip is non-dissolvable in a person'"'"'s mouth.

7. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip is dissolvable in a person'"'"'s mouth within a period of 3 hours.

8. The strip of claim 1, wherein the strip comprises at least one encapsulated feature that contains an agent selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic;

lactic acid bacteria;

S. pyogenes modified by a CRISPR-Cas system to reduce one or more virulence factors;

xylitol, and a breath mint solution.

9. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip further includes a toxic substance associated with the strip that is effective to kill undesired bacteria in the mouth.

10. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip comprises a non-fast drying adhesive.

11. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip includes at least 200 mg of xylitol.

12. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip includes phase change materials.

13. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip further comprises an antibiotic effective to kill spirochetes bacteria.

14. The film as set forth in claim 1, wherein said strip comprises Prevotella bacteria.

15. The strip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said strip includes one of bacterial and helminth components effective to trigger an immune response in a user.

16. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip has at least one active ingredient encapsulated inside a frangible capsule that may be broken by a person pressing against said strip with the person'"'"'s tongue.

17. The strip of claim 1 wherein said strip has compounds that facilitate the growth of desired bacteria that are beneficial to a person'"'"'s health.

19. The film as set forth in claim 16, wherein said strip further comprises an antibiotic effective to kill spirochetes bacteria.

20. The film as set forth in claim 16, wherein said strip includes one of bacterial and helminth components.

18. A buccal bioadhesive strip, comprising:

a strip having at least one surface having a pattern defined by a plurality of spaced apart features each having at least one microscale dimension and having at least one neighboring feature wherein an average spacing between adjacent ones of said features is between 0.5 and 5 .mu.m, said strip having a first and second side, the first side having a bioadhesive that is adapted to bind to a mucosal membrane for at least 1 hour while inside a person'"'"'s mouth, wherein said strip extends over a majority of the soft palate, and wherein said strip includes at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of pullulan, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, polyethylene glycol, tragacanth gum, guar gum, acacia gum, arabic gum, polyacrylic acid, methylmethacrylate copolymer, carboxyvinyl polymer, amylose, high amylose starch, hydroxypropylated high amylose starch, dextrin, pectin, chitin, chitosan, levan, elsinan, collagen, gelatin, zein, gluten, soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate, casein and mixtures thereof; and

wherein said strip includes between 0.2 and 0.9% xylitol by weight.