powerpoint (9.2 mb)
TRANSCRIPT
Pierre D. Mourad, PhD
• Research Associate Professor of
Neurosurgery, and of Pediatric
Dentistry (adjunct)
• Principle Physicist at the Applied
Physics Laboratory
• PhD in Applied
Mathematics/Atmospheric Sciences
how Jack and I got started
• I wanted some of his money for research on brain monitoring.
• He suggested we form a dental company instead
• the value of serendipity! connections matter! - then act fast!
old news: ‘ordinary’ power brushes
• power brushes move their bristles several hundred times per
second and clean primarily at the point of bristle contact, in a
manner vastly more efficient than manual brushes.
I felt we could do better
what is special about the Ultreo
note the transducer &waveguide
note the ultrasound coming out
we figured out how to put that ultrasound to good use
bubbles can clean
• bubbles in the presence of ultrasound get bigger and
smaller and bigger and smaller...
bubbles can clean
• bubbles near an surface - such as teeth - can get bigger
and smaller in a highly asymmetric way, applying
mechanical and therefore cleansing stress to that surface
QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
bubbles can clean
• a bubble, in ultrasound, can
generate significant mechanical
stress on things that come near it,
whether or not that bubble
collapses violently.
what is special about the Ultreo
• the Ultreo’s bristles scrub on time scales similar to that of
other power toothbrushes - hundreds of times a second.
Thanks to the ultrasound-activated bubbles, the Ultreo also scrubs teeth several hundred thousand times a second, wherever the ultrasound and foamy dental slurry intersect, including where the bristles don’t reach.
ultrasound emittedfrom brush headinto dental foam
some of our earliest prototypes
a value of working within UW at the early stages:you don’t have to create an entire laboratoryand gather the experts - they already exist on campus!
we’ve come a long way
• a testimony to the initial vision, the initially applied resources and alacrity of
SAP/APL/Neurosurgery/Pediatric Dentistry/Periodontology/Public Health,
and the subsequent and considerable effort and expertise utilized at what
is now Ultreo, along with continuing efforts of UW among other institutions.
vs
‘first brushing story’
ultrasound from a stationary brush rapidly removes a ‘line’ of plaque.
• Artificial teeth with plaque dyed pink before (left) and after (right) application of
ultrasound from beyond the reach of the bristles. Discrete plaque colonies along a band
stretching from lower left to upper right were removed by the ultrasound, in a shape
corresponding to the shape of ultrasound emitted from the face of the stationary brush
head. no bristle contact!
plaque removal via combined sonic & ultrasound processes
• Artificial teeth with plaque dyed pink before (left) and after (right) treatment with a
sonically vibrating brush head that emitted ultrasound in the presence of sonically
produced bubbles, from 2-3 mm beyond the reach of the bristles. Discrete plaque
colonies were reduced or removed across the entire tooth surface after only 5
seconds of application of the prototype.no bristle contact!
Research Models & CapabilitiesLaboratory Clinical & Subjective
once one has raised enough money, one can match thebusiness & business-science needs with unique, non-UW resources
Dental Plaque Biofilm Removal
Oral-B Triumph
SonicareUltreo
•Hydroxyapatite disks (5mm dia., white) coated with Streptococcus mutans biofilm stained with disclosing solution (pink)
•Disk placed 2-4 mm from active cleaning surface (bristles / ultrasound waveguide) in dental slurry and exposed for 5 sec.
•Removal of biofilm after exposure compared to non-treatment control disks
Exposure without bristle contact:
Research Conducted by:
Frank Roberts, DDS, PhD
Pierre D. Mourad, PhD
University of Washington, Seattle WA
Ultrasound activated bubbles clean into areas bristles do not reach
Ultreo
Sonicare
Oral-B1 mm
Ultreo
1 mm
Dental Plaque Biofilm Removal
Longer Lasting Clean (in-vivo)
2 hrs after brushing it appears that Ultreo resulted in less plaque formation than brushing with sonic alone.
(2 treatments, n=5)Research Conducted by:
Baltuck C et al.
Ultreo Inc, Redmond, WA
Hypothesis
Typical Brushing Ultreo
Ultreo’s ultrasound – activated bubbles extend
cleaning deeper than typical brushing
Ultreo results in a more thorough clean
Use of Ultreo leaves a long-lasting feeling of clean
bristle
plaque
tooth
bristle
ultrasound activated bubbles
plaque
tooth
Immediately after brushing
Several hours later
Evolution of my relationship to Ultreo
2004-2006
Optimize Parameters: what are the
optimal technology conditions?
2006-2007
External Testing: independent
confirmation of safety &
effectiveness
Internal Testing:
what are the primary benefits?
2005-2006
Concept Testing:
does the concept deliver a benefit?
2003-2004
University of Washington
WTC Grants
Univ. of Wash.
& Ultreo
NIH SBIR Phase I Grant
Ultreo, Inc.
NIH SBIR Phase II
Grant
Ultreo, Inc. & Universities
NIH SBIR Phase II
Grant
Pierre as critical player -> Pierre as an important pet.
time of appropriaterapid growth
time of inappropriatelyrapid growth
how is ultreo doing now?
first year, generated revenue at an annual rate of $10M!
but, it cost more than that to sell the brushes!! oh no!
strong CEO, with complicity of a weak Board, led the company
to market too fast, too optimistically. (there are lessons here!)
Board fired the CEO in Winter of 2008
Board - now alone - did additional damage to the company
(alienating the dental professionals - the key to the long-term
growth of any dental company).
VCs took over the company (cramming down extant investors)
VCs reconstituted the company, for possible sale of
technology or re-invigoration of the company - who knows.
cautionary tale
• you have to get everything right to succeed in business, especially a start up, where there is no room for failure.
• your biggest asset, your weakest link, is people, sometimes even the same people.
• balance of power is critical to success (technical vs business; CEO vs Board)
• enormous work at first -> your baby grows up and leaves the home, while still needing to grow up more: learn to let go!
thank you.