# US 11,419,811 B2 · Means and methods for preventing and/or treating caries > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,419,811 B2 - Document ID: US11419811B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/580,658 - Filed: 2019-09-24 - Published: 2020-03-19 - Granted: 2022-08-23 - Earliest claimed: 2004-09-10 - Assignees: BASF SE - Applicants: BASF SE - Inventors: Bruno Kaesler; Rolf Knöll; Mewes Boettner; Eckhard Budde; Christine Lang; Martin Ryser; Markus Veen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11419811B2 ## CPC - A61K 8/99: from microorganisms other than algae or fungi, e.g. protozoa or bacteria - A23G 3/366: {containing microorganisms, enzymes} - A23G 4/123: {containing microorganisms, enzymes} - A23K 50/10: for ruminants - A23K 50/30: for swines - A23K 50/40: for carnivorous animals, e.g. cats or dogs - A23K 50/50: for rodents - A23K 50/70: for birds - A23K 50/75: for poultry - A23K 50/80: for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs - A23L 7/10: Cereal-derived products - A23L 33/135: Bacteria or derivatives thereof, e.g. probiotics - A61K 8/0216: {Solid or semisolid forms} - A61K 8/042: {Gels} - A61K 8/60: Sugars; Derivatives thereof - A61K 35/747: Lactobacilli, e.g. L. acidophilus or L. brevis - A61P 1/02: Stomatological preparations, e.g. drugs for caries, aphtae, periodontitis - A61P 19/00: Drugs for skeletal disorders - A61P 43/00: Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00 - A61Q 11/00: Preparations for care of the teeth, of the oral cavity or of dentures; Dentifrices, e.g. toothpastes; Mouth rinses - C12N 1/20: Bacteria; Culture media therefor - C12N 1/205: Bacterial isolates - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - A23V 2400/165: Paracasei - A23V 2400/175: Rhamnosus - A23V 2400/237: Mutans - C12R 2001/225: Lactobacillus - A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D) - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF - A23K: FODDER - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS - A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION - C12R: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES C12C - C12Q, RELATING TO MICROORGANISMS ## Abstract The present invention relates to a microorganism belonging to the group of lactic acid bacteria characterized in that it is capable of specifically binding to Streptococcus mutans, wherein the specific binding is (i) resistant to heat treatment; and/or (ii) resistant to protease treatment; and/or (iii) calcium-dependent; and/or (iv) formed within a pH range between 4.5 and 8.5; and/or (v) formed in the presence of saliva. Preferably, the specific binding can be assayed as follows: (a) growing said microorganism to stationary phase; (b) mixing said microorganism with Streptococcus mutans which has been grown to stationary phase; (c) incubating the mixture obtained in step (b) under conditions allowing the formation of aggregates of said microorganism and Streptococcus mutans and (d) detecting aggregates by the occurrence of a pellet. Another aspect of the present invention is an analog or fragment of said microorganism which is thermally inactivated or lyophilized, wherein said analog or fragment retains the capability of specifically binding to Streptococcus mutans. In addition, the present invention encompasses compositions and additives for food, feed or drinks comprising the microorganism belonging to the group of lactic acid bacteria which specifically bind to Streptococcus mutans or an analog or fragment thereof. Moreover, uses of said microorganism or said analog or fragment thereof for the preparation of an anticariogenic or pharmaceutical composition or anticariogenic food or feedstuff as well as methods for producing said compositions or food or feedstuff are provided by the present invention. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid or solid composition comprising cells of at least one microorganism belonging to Lactobacillus paracasei which is thermally inactivated by heating at more than 95° C. for at least 20 minutes, wherein all cells of at least one microorganism belonging to Lactobacillus paracasei in the liquid or solid composition are dead or inactivated cells, wherein said cells bind to Streptococcus mutans in the presence of saliva or at a pH range between 4.5 and 8.5, wherein the binding between said cells and Streptococcus mutans is calcium-dependent, resistant to heat treatment at more than 95° C. for at least 20 minutes, and resistant to protease treatment, and wherein the composition comprises the cells in an amount of at least 0.001% by weight based on the weight of the composition; wherein said composition optionally comprises less than 1% (w/w) lactose or more than 6% (w/w) lactose based on the composition; wherein the composition is an animal feed which further comprises at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient; and wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of L. paracasei DSM 16667, L. paracasei DSM 16668, L. paracasei DSM 16669, L. paracasei DSM 16670, and L. paracasei DSM 16671. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the feed composition is a pet feed for dogs, cats, and rats, a cattle feed for cows and pigs, chicken feed for chicken and turkeys, or a fish cultivation feed for porgy and yellowtail. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient comprises a raw feed material selected from the group consisting of cereals, brans, oil-seed meals, animal-derived raw feed materials, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient comprises a cereal selected from the group consisting of mile, wheat, barley, oats, rye, brown rice, buckwheat, fox-tail millet, Chinese millet, Deccan grass, corn, soybean, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient comprises a bran selected from the group consisting of rice bran, defatted rice bran, bran, lowest-grade flour, wheat germ, barley bran, screening pellet, corn bran, corn germ, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient comprises an oil-seed meal selected from the group consisting of soybean meal, soybean powder, linseed meal, cottonseed meal, peanut meal, safflower meal, coconut meal, palm meal, sesame meal, sunflower meal, rapeseed meal, kapok seed meal, mustard meal, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient comprises an animal-derived raw feed material selected from the group consisting of fish powders, meat powder, meat and bone powder, blood powder, bone powder, byproducts from butchery, feather meal, silkworm pupa, skim milk, casein, dry whey, hill, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient comprises a raw feed material selected from the group consisting of plant stems and leaves, byproducts from corn processing industries, starch, sugar, yeast, byproducts from fermentation, agricultural byproducts, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has anticariogenic activity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the formation of aggregates of the microorganism and Streptococcus mutans occurs in the presence of saliva or at a pH range between 4.5 and 8.5. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises at least 0.01% by weight of the cells. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises at least 0.1% by weight of the cells. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the microorganism binds to Streptococcus mutans serotype c (DSMZ 20523) and/or serotype e (NCTC 10923) and/or serotype f (NCTC 11060). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method for the production of the composition according to claim 1 comprising obtaining the cells of a microorganism belonging to the group of lactic acid bacteria, and adding said cells to a raw or cooked feed material, molding, and granulating to form the composition. ### Claim 15 A liquid or solid composition comprising cells of at least one microorganism belonging to Lactobacillus paracasei which is thermally inactivated by heating at more than 95° C. for at least 20 minutes, the cells consisting of dead or inactivated cells, wherein said cells bind to Streptococcus mutans in the presence of saliva or at a pH range between 4.5 and 8.5, wherein the binding between said cells and Streptococcus mutans is calcium-dependent, resistant to heat treatment at more than 95° C. for at least 20 minutes, and resistant to protease treatment, and wherein the composition comprises the cells in an amount of at least 0.001% by weight based on the weight of the composition; wherein said composition optionally comprises less than 1% (w/w) lactose or more than 6% (w/w) lactose based on the composition; wherein the composition is a food or drink which further comprises at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient; and wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of L. paracasei DSM 16667b1946, L. paracasei DSM 16668b1946, L. paracasei DSM 16669b1946, L. paracasei DSM 16670b1946, and L. paracasei DSM 16671b1946. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15, wherein the food or drink is selected from the group consisting of juices, refreshing drinks, soups, teas, sour milk beverages, dairy products, ices, butter, cheese, processed milk, skim milk, meat products, fish meat cake products, egg products, confectioneries, breads, noodles, pickles, smoked products, dried fishes, and seasonings. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15, wherein the composition is a powder food, sheet-like food, bottled food, canned food, retort food, capsule food, tablet food, or fluid food. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15, wherein the composition comprises at least 0.01% by weight of the cells. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15, wherein the composition comprises at least 0.1% by weight of the cells. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15, wherein the microorganism binds to Streptococcus mutans serotype c (DSMZ 20523) and/or serotype e (NCTC 10923) and/or serotype f (NCTC 11060). ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) A method for the production of the composition according to claim 15 comprising obtaining the cells of a microorganism belonging to the group of lactic acid bacteria, and adding said cells to a raw or cooked feed material, molding, and granulating to form the composition. ### Claim 22 A liquid or solid composition comprising cells of at least one microorganism belonging to Lactobacillus paracasei which is thermally inactivated by heating at more than 95° C. for at least 20 minutes, wherein all cells of at least one microorganism belonging to Lactobacillus paracasei in the liquid or solid composition are dead or inactivated cells, wherein said cells bind to Streptococcus mutans in the presence of saliva or at a pH range between 4.5 and 8.5, wherein the binding between said cells and Streptococcus mutans is calcium-dependent, resistant to heat treatment at more than 95° C. for at least 20 minutes, and resistant to protease treatment, and wherein the composition comprises the cells in an amount of at least 0.001% by weight based on the weight of the composition; wherein said composition optionally comprises less than 1% (w/w) lactose or more than 6% (w/w) lactose based on the composition; wherein the composition is an animal feed which further comprises at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient; and wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of L. paracasei DSM 16667b1946, L. paracasei DSM 16668b1946, L. paracasei DSM 16669b1946, L. paracasei DSM 16670b1946, and L. paracasei DSM 16671b1946; and wherein the at least one orally acceptable carrier or excipient is selected from the group consisting of fluoride ion sources, anticalculus agents, buffers, abrasive materials, peroxide sources, alkali metal bicarbonate salts, thickening materials, humectants, surfactants, titanium dioxide, flavor agents, sweetening agents, xylitol, coloring agents, starch, glucose, sucrose, gelatin, malt, rice, flour, chalk, silica gel, sodium stearate, glycerol monostearate, talc, sodium ions, dried skim milk, glycerol, propylene glycol, water, ethanol, and mixtures thereof.