Founded in 2012 by CEO Adam Christie and CTO Bruce Vernon, CALCIVIS has recently overseen the UK launch of its revolutionary dental imaging technology.

Here, Adam Christie comments on the development of the company’s unique new device and on internationally focused growth plans.

It was whilst working as a Non-Executive Director of Scottish SME LUX Innovate, that Adam first encountered the technology that could change routine dentistry for good.

“Across a range of industrial sectors, LUX used light to reveal difficult-to-detect chemicals.” says Adam, “Specifically in dental technology the company used a photoprotein that reacted with calcium to reveal previously invisible tooth decay – demineralisation. With LUX searching for a home for this technology, I saw an opportunity and after much due diligence and market research, CALCIVIS was born in 2012.”

Nurturing understanding

What followed was more than five years of BioQuarter-based R&D on the CALCIVIS imaging system including clinical studies in Scotland and a beta test with practices across the UK.

“We’ve had terrific responses from the clinical studies and the beta test.” says Adam, “As well as positive feedback from practitioners, patients are on board too. They see the images. They understand the basics of the technology. They love that their dentist is preventing future problems.”

Of the company’s Scotland location, Adam is enthusiastic: “Edinburgh is a good place to start a life sciences business. We’ve had backing from the angel syndicate Archangels, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Investment Bank. Added to this, our early development work, including creating a specialised intraoral camera, took place entirely within the Scottish life sciences supply chain.”

CALCIVIS was one of BioQuarter’s first tenants, and the site has served the company well. “We’ve now expanded to three offices and a lab. Being located here has helped us punch above our weight with potential partners and customers as we’ve developed our business.”

A global outlook

As CALCIVIS looks to further establish its technology, development remains a big word. Sales teams and strategies are in place for the UK, and with an eye on the US market, regulatory and approval routes for that territory are already being negotiated for this authentically unique and disruptive product.

“We want to help the clinician collaborate with the patient.” says Adam, “If you can show a patient the luminescence, explain that it indicates decay, treat it – tell them you won’t have to drill it now or in the future – that’s really powerful. The potential is there to grow a positive – and global – interaction between dentist and patient.”

“We’ve had terrific responses from the clinical studies and the beta test. Patients see the images, understand the basics of the technology and love that their dentist is preventing future problems.”