 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| NZX: BLT | |
| Industry | Biotechnology |
| Predecessor | Tarn Holdings Limited |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Prof. John Tagg (Founder), Brian Watson (CEO) |
| Website | blis.co.nz |
Blis Technologies Limited is a biotechnology company that manufactures advanced probiotics for the mouth and throat. [1]
The company's founder, John Tagg, has conducted research investigating the amount of bacteria present within a diet and their effects on personal hygiene. [2] After contracting rheumatic fever at age 12, Tagg later decided, as a young microbiology student, to seek an effective way of countering the disease. [3] In August 2000, he left his academic position at the University of Otago to launch Blis Technologies. [4] Two years later the first oral probiotic – ThroatGuard, containing BLISK12 – was marketed. A wide variety of products have been subsequently developed, with many now sold internationally in lozenges, gum, powder and other forms. [5]
Blis' products have been sold globally, [1] while the company itself is headquartered in Dunedin, New Zealand. Blis Technologies is publicly listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. [6]
Blis Technologies hold the world-first patent for their strain of the oral bacteria, Streptococcus salivarius, claimed to be beneficial for humans, which won the 2010 Frost & Sullivan award for Global Entrepreneurship. [7]
The company was also acknowledged by multinational Deloitte as the Fastest Growing Mature Business in New Zealand for 2016. [8]
A secondary product to ThroatGuard, containing BLIS K12 in a powder form suitable for children and infants, was developed and branded ToddlerProtect. [9]
A third product was later rolled in 2006, TravelGuard, suitable for travelers exposed to airborne germs.
In September 2005, Blis announced the launch of FreshBreath, aimed with promoting and maintaining fresher breath. [10]
Blis Technologies introduced a new probiotic to the New Zealand market in October 2012, focused on fighting the bacteria associated with tooth decay and periodontal disease. The BLIS M18 (Streptococcis salivarius) strain was developed and launched into the market under the brand name HealthyTeeth. Several clinical trials found BLIS M18 to promote the health of the oral cavity.[ citation needed ]
In 2011, Blis K12 received GRAS (generally recognised as safe) status from the United States Food and Drug Administration, enabling the probiotic to be used as a food additive. [11]
Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it is an abrasive that aids in removing dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing halitosis, and delivers active ingredients to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis). Owing to differences in composition and fluoride content, not all toothpastes are equally effective in maintaining oral health. The decline of tooth decay during the 20th century has been attributed to the introduction and regular use of fluoride-containing toothpastes worldwide. Large amounts of swallowed toothpaste can be poisonous. Common colors for toothpaste include white and blue.
Lactobacillus is a genus of gram-positive, aerotolerant anaerobes or microaerophilic, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacteria. Until 2020, the genus Lactobacillus comprised over 260 phylogenetically, ecologically, and metabolically diverse species; a taxonomic revision of the genus assigned lactobacilli to 25 genera.
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a symptom in which a noticeably unpleasant breath odour is present. It can result in anxiety among those affected. It is also associated with depression and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Probiotics are live microorganisms promoted with claims that they provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut microbiota. Probiotics are considered generally safe to consume, but may cause bacteria-host interactions and unwanted side effects in rare cases. There is some evidence that probiotics are beneficial for some conditions, but there is little evidence for many of the health benefits claimed for them.
Tonsil stones, also known as tonsilloliths, are mineralizations of debris within the crevices of the tonsils. When not mineralized, the presence of debris is known as chronic caseous tonsillitis (CCT). Symptoms may include bad breath, foreign body sensation, sore throat, pain or discomfort with swallowing, and cough. Generally there is no pain, though there may be the feeling of something present. The presence of tonsil stones may be otherwise undetectable, however some people have reported seeing white material in the rear of their throat.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), also termed bacterial overgrowth, or small bowel bacterial overgrowth syndrome (SBBOS), is a disorder of excessive bacterial growth in the small intestine. Unlike the colon, which is rich with bacteria, the small bowel usually has fewer than 100,000 organisms per millilitre. Patients with bacterial overgrowth typically develop symptoms which may include nausea, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, malnutrition, weight loss and malabsorption, which is caused by a number of mechanisms.
Streptococcus salivarius is a species of spherical, gram-positive, facultative anaerobic lactic acid bacteria that is both catalase and oxidase negative. S. salivarius colonizes the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract of humans just a few hours after birth, making further exposure to the bacteria harmless in most circumstances. The bacterium is considered an opportunistic pathogen, rarely finding its way into the bloodstream, where it has been implicated in cases of sepsis in people with neutropenia,.
Lactobacillales are an order of gram-positive, low-GC, acid-tolerant, generally nonsporulating, nonrespiring, either rod-shaped (bacilli) or spherical (cocci) bacteria that share common metabolic and physiological characteristics. These bacteria, usually found in decomposing plants and milk products, produce lactic acid as the major metabolic end product of carbohydrate fermentation, giving them the common name lactic acid bacteria (LAB).
Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is a cationic quaternary ammonium compound used in some types of mouthwashes, toothpastes, lozenges, throat sprays, breath sprays, and nasal sprays. It is an antiseptic that kills bacteria and other microorganisms. It has been shown to be effective in preventing dental plaque and reducing gingivitis. It has also been used as an ingredient in certain pesticides. Though one study seems to indicate cetylpyridinium chloride does not cause brown tooth stains, at least one mouthwash containing CPC as an active ingredient bears the warning label "In some cases, antimicrobial rinses may cause surface staining to teeth," following a failed class-action lawsuit brought by customers whose teeth were stained.
Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc. is an American company that markets and distributes over-the-counter healthcare and household cleaning products. It was formed by the merger of Medtech Products, Inc., Prestige Brands International, and the Spic and Span Company in 1996. The company is headquartered in Tarrytown, New York and operates a manufacturing facility in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Streptococcus thermophilus formerly known as Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus is a gram-positive bacterium, and a fermentative facultative anaerobe, of the viridans group. It tests negative for cytochrome, oxidase, and catalase, and positive for alpha-hemolytic activity. It is non-motile and does not form endospores. S. thermophilus is fimbriated.
Tooth brushing is the act of scrubbing teeth with a toothbrush equipped with toothpaste. Interdental cleaning can be useful with tooth brushing, and together these two activities are the primary means of cleaning teeth, one of the main aspects of oral hygiene. The recommended amount of time for tooth brushing is two minutes.
Colgate is an American brand principally used for oral hygiene products such as toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and dental floss. Manufactured by Colgate-Palmolive, Colgate's oral hygiene products were first sold by the company in 1873, sixteen years after the death of the founder, William Colgate. The company originally sold soap.
Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping one's oral cavity clean and free of disease and other problems by regular brushing of the teeth and adopting good hygiene habits. It is important that oral hygiene be carried out on a regular basis to enable prevention of dental disease and bad breath. The most common types of dental disease are tooth decay and gum diseases, including gingivitis, and periodontitis.
Dentyl Dual Action, previously known as Dentyl Active, and originally as Dentyl pH, is a brand of mouthwash, an oral hygiene product designed to reduce the presence of bacteria responsible for tooth decay, gingivitis and halitosis. Traditional mouthwash formulations typically use alcohol or other antimicrobial ingredients to kill bacteria.
Kharkhana Zinda Tilismath is medicinal products manufacturer of the well known Zinda Tilismath, Farooky Tooth Powder, Zinda Balm and Zint Lozenges.
Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus is a bacterial subspecies traditionally isolated from European yogurts. Lactobacillus bulgaricusGLB44 differs from other L. bulgaricus strains because it was isolated from the leaves of Galanthus nivalis in Bulgaria.
Postbiotics - also known as metabiotics, biogenics, or simply metabolites - are soluble factors, secreted by live bacteria, or released after bacterial lysis providing physiological benefits to the host.
Seed Health, popularly known as Seed, is an American health and life science company, most known for developing probiotics. Founded in 2015 by Ara Katz and Raja Dhir, Seed was founded to "use bacteria to improve human and environmental health". The company's main product, the probiotic DS-01, is sold direct to consumer, forgoing traditional brick-and-mortar retail.