10 DentalTownJanuary 2002LEADING EDGE OF ORALCANCER DETECTIONZila is - PDF document

1 10 DentalTownJanuary 2002LEADING EDGE
10 DentalTownJanuary 2002LEADING EDGE OF ORALCANCER DETECTIONZila is probably best known for itsTolonium Chloride. Tolonium Chloride, apatented, pharmaceutical-grade form of thestain toluidine blue is already available in adozen countries under the name OraTest,and is in Phase III studies under an FDAIND. OraTest,upon application, stainslesions otherwise undetectable with currentmethods. We believe that this represents arevolutionary advance in the detection ofcancerous and pre-cancerous oral lesions.Zila is now launching ViziLite,™disposable light for illumination ofabnormal oral tissue. ViziLite enhances theexaminer’s ability to detect abnormal tissuesin patients at risk for oral cancer. Earlydetection of mucosal abnormalities canresult in the early treatment of pre-cancerous tissue. According to the American DentalAssociation, if oral cancer is found at theearliest stage, treatment is quick, simple,and more than 90% successful. Yet morethan 8,000 Americans die of orally-relatedcancer every year, because they do not haveregular oral cancer examinations, or delayseeking treatment. This is why Dr. RalphGreen, Vice President and General Managerof the Professional Division at ZilaPharmaceuticals strongly believes, “earlyidentification is critical to successfultreatment and long-term survival.” Dr.Green also states “this is also why Zila hasdedicated so many resources behind thedevelopment of improved screeningtechniques. When it comes right down toit, oral cancer is a dentist’s responsibility. Ifwe don’t find it, then who will?” Current practice includes only a visualdetection of lesions through an examinationof the oral cavity during routine dentalexams. A sample of any questionable tissueis then collected for examination. Thismethod of detection has many limitations: •Abnormal tissue is often not detectable by the naked eye and therefore goes untreated;•Detection and testing usually requires two or more office visits;•The patient often must see a surgical specialist for tissue biopsy; and •Biopsies can cause bleeding complications and significant patient discomfort.Zila, Inc. is fast gaining prominence as an internationalprovider of quality, innovative dental care productsHeadquartered in Phoenix, AZ, Zila, Inc. has been providingprofessionals and consumers worldwide with breakthrough dentalproducts for almost 20 years. Through in-house development andstrategic acquisition, the Zila portfolio has steadily grown to include a broadrange of products from the treatment of canker sores to, more recently, theearly detection of abnormal tissue linked to oral cancer. FromRalph Green, DDS, MBAVice President & General ManagerZila Pharmaceuticals, Inc. According to the recent FDA clearance, the ViziLite™Test Kit,when used in combination with conventional visual oralmucosal examination by health care providers, improvesidentification, evaluation, and monitoring of oral mucosalabnormalities in a patient population at risk for oral cancer. ViziLite highlights oral lesions through photodifferentiationusing a chemiluminescent light. This technology behindViziLiteprovides four distinct advantages:•works hand in hand with the conventional visual examination of the mouth•ViziLite’s Chemiluminescent light makes detection of oral abnormalities easier to see•detects oral lesions not detectable by other methods; and•The ViziLite™single-use test kit is easy, safe, and non-invasive.The ViziLite™test is particularly important for patients who areat high-risk for developing oral cancer. Ninety percent ofindividuals diagnosed with oral cancer smoke and 75% drinkalcohol with some frequency. Anyone who falls into either ofthese high-risk categories should be checked regularly with areliable test like ViziLite.According to the American DentalAssociation, although patients with the above risk factors aremost susceptible to oral cancer, 25% of oral cancers occur inpeople who do not smoke and have no other risk factors.Therefore, we believe that every patient should be tested for oralcancer at least once a year

2 . “Breakthrough products like OraTe
. “Breakthrough products like OraTest™and ViziLite™important in the fight against oral cancer, the only cancer thathas not decreased in occurrence over the last 50 years,” says Dr.Ralph Green. “In 2001 alone, we have seen about 30,100 newcases of oral cancer. Unfortunately, under current detectionmethods, many lesions are overlooked until they have grownlarge enough to be visible to the naked eye. Treatment in theselater stages is often less successful and much more invasive andpainful for the patient.”Oral cancer isn’t Zila’s only area of expertise. Zila also leads theindustry in providing both professionals and consumers withinnovative products in the areas of oral medicine, periodontalhealth, and infection control.ORAL MEDICINEIn the area of oral medicine, Zila continually demonstrates itscommitment to providing quality, innovative products that maketreatment easier for both the dental professional and the patient. Zila’s line of Zilactin®products is best knownas the number-one choice among the nation’spharmacists and dental hygienists for thetreatment of canker and cold sores.Zilactinis the only brandto speed healing byforming a patented,bioadhesive film thatholds the medicationin place and sealsirritants out, for up tosix hours. Zilactin-B medicated gel treats and relieves pain from mouthsores, canker sores, bites and gum sores with the same patented,bioadhesive film as original Zilactin, plus the topical anestheticBenzocaine, for extra relief.Zilactin-L medicated liquid treats and relieves the burning anditching associated with cold sores and fever blisters that formoutside the mouth and around the lips. This non-film-formingversion penetrates the affected area and contains the topicalanesthetic Lidocaine for fast pain relief. The liquid formulamakes it easy to apply cosmetics. Finally, Zilactin Baby is specially developed without saccharin,alcohol, or dyes to relieve teething pain. Zilactin Baby teethinggel has the highest level of pain-relieving Benzocaine, and a gentlegrape flavor, that delivers a soothing-cool sensation to baby’s gums.Perhaps the most intriguing advancement is the introduction ofZila’s patented swab technology that is revolutionizing theapplication of oral medication. Zila recently debuted its swabtechnology with the introduction of its over-the-counterZilactinToothache & Oral Pain Swabs, providing patients withmaximum pain relief in an easy-to-use and, most importantly,sanitary swab applicator. Each pre-medicated swab contains 20% benzocaine, one of themost effective non-prescription pain relievers for aching teeth,sore gums and pain from dentures and braces.Zila applied the same, patented technology to Pro-Swabs,unique new topical anesthetic delivery system. Each individuallymedicated, single-use swab delivers 20% benzocaine to theapplication site with pinpoint accuracy. Pro-Swabs are ideal for pre-injection anesthesia at the injectionsite, as well as for numbing post-procedural pain. They feature apleasant mint taste and are alcohol-free to eliminate stinging.Pro-Swabs are also indicated for the temporary relief of painassociated with toothaches, sore gums, dentures and braces. PERIODONTAL HEALTHWith over 90% of the population suffering from periodontaldisease, Zila is a proud leader in the area of periodontal healthwith Peridex®, one of the most widely used treatments forgingivitis. Peridex®is the first prescription oral rinse to receivethe ADA Seal of Acceptance for the treatment of gingivitis. Zila’s Corporate Offices in Phoenix, AZ January 2002DentalTownMagazine 11 Used between dental visits,Peridexreduces the redness,swelling and bleeding of gumscaused by periodontal disease.With a pleasant herbal minttaste, Peridex continues to workeven after rinsing because onethird of its active ingredient —chlorhexidinegluconate —binds to oral surfaces andis slowly released intooral fluids. “While most of ourproducts focus ontreating disease, we at Zila stillbelieve in the old adage, ‘an ounce ofprevention is worth a pound of cure.’With that in mind, we introduc

3 ed Pro-to help promote healthy teethand
ed Pro-to help promote healthy teethand gums before there’s a problem,” saysDr. Ralph Green, of Zila Pharmaceuticals. A recent study published by the AmericanAcademy of Periodontology showed thatindividuals who do not consume theminimal recommended daily allowance(RDA) of Vitamin C are at a higher risk fordeveloping gum disease.Vitamin C can promote the body’s abilityto maintain and repair healthy connectivetissue, like gums, and assist in theneutralization of tissue-destroying oxidants,many of which can be found in the mouth.Pro-Ester-Cis one of the only pro-fessionally dispensed nutraceuticalrecommended to promote optimal gingivalhealth in soft-tissue management patients.Pro-Ester-C may promote healthyconnective tissue repair and maintenance.Pro-Ester-C is BodyReady®, which meansit is readily absorbed, goes to workimmediately, and is gentle to the system.Pro-Ester-C also contains essential mineralslike calcium and metabolites, which mayenhance the uptake of Vitamin C by thebody’s cells and tissues. INFECTION CONTROLOver the past year, Zila has launchedseveral products focused on helping dentalprofessionals protect themselves and theirpatients from infection.Zila Pro-Ties™: Addressing the need to beable to sterilize and sort the tens of dentalinstruments used in a busy dental officeeach day, Zila introduced the Pro-Ties™bundling system. Made from 100%medical grade silicon that stretches up tothree times its original size, Pro-Ties™simplifies the process of bundling dentalinstruments for sterilization. Available infour colors for easy sorting, Pro-Ties™replace makeshift “ponytail” holders thatstretch out of shape, rust, and breedbacteria.and Pro-Scrub™Answering the call for improved asepticpractices, ChlorhexidineGluconate (CHG)-based Pro-Wash™and Pro-Scrub™dentists, hygienists and oral surgeons moreprotection than just wearing gloves alone.Less irritating and more effective thanantibacterial washes, Pro-Wash is a .75%CHG hand wash that is ideal for use beforegeneral procedures and routine exams. Pro-Scrub is a 2% CHG hand scrub indicatedfor use for blood-involved procedures andoral surgery.Ideal for use by the entire staff, both Pro-Wash and Pro-Scrub are effective against afull spectrum of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, as well as fungi, yeast andmost prevalent viruses, including HIV,herpes and influenza.“I am very proud of the reputation we atZila have built through our constant effortsto provide the dental community withinnovative products of the highest caliber,”says Dr. Ralph Green. “I have built mycareer on saving people’s teeth throughcosmetic dentistry; now I want to save theirlives through our advances in abnormaltissue screening.” For more information on Zila, visitwww.zila.com or call 1-602-266-6700. DT12 DentalTownJanuary 2002 Dr. Ralph Green began his illustriouscareer at the University of Iowawhere he earned his Doctorate inDental Science. It was there thathe cultivated his love for researchand development. Dr. Green went on to teach at theprestigious Tufts University while fur-thering his own education byattending night school to earn hisMBA from Boston University.This well-rounded background inscience and business led Dr. Greento get involved with over a dozenhigh-tech and biotech start-ups inareas ranging from applied genet-ics to wound healing. Throughout his career, Dr. Greenhas done extensive research in theareas of bone growth, compositeresins, laser technology and tissuebioengineering. Through hisresearch, Dr. Green has developedand holds several patents for theresurfacing of dental implants tomake them more biocompatible.He is a member of both theAssociation of Dental Researchand the International Association ofDental Research. Dr. Green was also instrumental inintroducing P.I. Branemark into theUnited States and later served ontheir Board of Directors. P.I.Branemark is now the largest den-tal implant company in the world.Dr. Ralph Green currently serves asVice President and GeneralManager of the ProfessionalDivision for Zila Pharmaceuticals inPhoenix A