PhotOral

Boston-based life sciences startup PhotOral has licensed patented technology from Forsyth Institute of Cambridge, Mass., to develop an intraoral device that uses blue light for targeting and obliterating potentially harmful dental plaque microorganisms. The agreement enables PhotOral to commercialize Forsyth’s photomedicine portfolio, which addresses the $7 billion oral care market. Stamatis Astra, PhotOral’s founder and CEO, is raising funds to support prototype production, clinical trials and marketing operations. The company’s goal is to have its first intraoral light cleaning device available by late this year. The Harvard University-affiliated Forsyth Institute, a nonprofit research organization focused on oral, craniofacial and related biomedical sciences, will conduct PhotOral’s clinical trials.