Periodontitis, or gum disease, affects 40% of adults worldwide. It is also a common ailment in pets, frequently found in dogs. But help with Fido’s oral health has arrived, thanks to BioChange, a startup led by Technion alumnus Founder and CEO Ishay Attar. The company has developed a new technology that has proven to be effective in healing periodontitis in dogs and may work well on humans in the future. Called ReGum, it regenerates the tissue to reduce receding gum lines and heal infection. 

ReGum is a novel scaffold implant made of natural biomaterials that causes the patient’s own cells to repair and regenerate at the injection site. It is placed using either a standard injection or through a minimally invasive surgical placement. The scaffold degrades over time, leaving behind the patient’s own regenerated, healthy tissue.  

The product was tested on dogs with periodontitis and proved effective and safe in regenerating gum and bone tissues with no side effects. It showed to be substantially more successful in achieving results than the standard open periodontal therapy treatments used currently, including surgeries, grafts, and protein gels. For advanced periodontitis, the traditional treatments can be combined with ReGum to achieve better results.  

The new technology is now commercially available for veterinary use. BioChange is aiming to begin its first clinical study for humans in 2023, with plans to hit the market within the next few years.