Mike Schurr PhD

About Mike Schurr, PhD:

Dr. Schurr is an Associate Professor in the department of Immunology and Microbiology and has over 30 years of experience in bacterial pathogenesis research. He is the founder and president of Azodent, a start-up company from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. His research team has spearheaded the efforts to develop novel small molecules as viable clinical candidates to disrupt biofilms. Azodent’s lead compound, Acrylated Hydroxy-Azobenzene (AHA), has shown strong efficacy, both in vitro and in vivo, in killing Streptococcus spp. and disrupting biofilms formed by several Gram-negative pathogens. Azodent has been awarded an Anschutz Accelerator Innovation award to 3D print dentures and dental filling materials containing AHA.  Azodent is also the recipient of a RadLaunch award from the RadTech Association.  

About Azodent:

Azodent is an early clinical stage bio-materials company developing targeted materials to treat dental caries and to incorporate these materials into dental appliances. 

Azodent is focused on the development and commercialization of our lead compound, AHA. The company’s immediate objective is the completion of biocompatibility and efficacy studies in preparation for a 510K submission. Our long-term vision is to grow Azodent into a cutting-edge materials discovery and development company that can turn novel biological insights into actionable clinical treatments.  

Azodent has designed a polymer coating that can be used to prevent biofilm accumulation and infections on implants, prostheses, catheters, and endoscopes. This technology has a wide range of potential applications in the industrial coatings market, including for non-stick coatings, touch screens, and de-icing coatings for aircraft.  

Additionally, the photo-responsive material can also selectively inhibit dental cavities-causing bacteria, and disrupt biofilms formed on it. Such genus-specific inhibition and biofilm disruptive properties within the same material are rare in dentistry, therefore the dental market is likely the initial market for this technology.