Glaxo's Sensodyne With NovaMin Aims At Oral Care Sensitivity Competition
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
GlaxoSmithKline announces the U.K. launch of Sensodyne Repair & Protect toothpaste as the first consumer oral care product containing the NovaMin technology GSK acquired in 2009.
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GlaxoSmithKline announces the U.K. launch of Sensodyne Repair & Protect toothpaste as the first consumer oral care product containing the NovaMin technology GSK acquired in 2009. With plans to introduce the Sensodyne line extension also in 50 markets in Europe and other regions in 2011, GSK seeks an edge over sensitivity toothpastes offered by Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive. According to a March 1 release, Sensodyne Repair & Protect claims NovaMin (calcium sodium phosphosilicate) adds a protective mineral layer over sensitive areas of teeth, where dentine is exposed due to eroded enamel. Glaxo says the product "will continually help repair sensitive teeth and help prevent sensitivity," in addition to providing the protective and cleaning benefits associated with the fluoride it contains. The U.K. firm says the Repair & Protect international roll-out will continue beyond 2011. Glaxo had no comment on plans for launching the product in the U.S., which is not on the list of planned markets. Crest Pro-Health Consolidates SKUs Competition in the sensitivity toothpaste arena heated up in March 2010 when P&G introduced Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield to the U.S. market, claiming its stannous fluoride ingredient "binds to enamel to create a micro-thin shield" around sensitive teeth (Also see "P&G's Crest Pro-Health Beats Colgate Pro-Relief To Sensitive Teeth Market" - Pink Sheet, 22 Mar, 2010.). A year later, Cincinnati-based P&G is eliminating separate toothpaste SKUs for enamel and for sensitivity, both with stannous fluoride as the active ingredient, and launching a combined product, Crest Pro-Health Sensitivity Plus Enamel Shield toothpaste with the same active ingredient. The Crest line extension will have a smoother formulation and different mint flavor than the discontinued products. P&G spokesman Kristopher Parlett said March 1 P&G is shipping the reformulated product to U.S. stores, aiming to consolidate consumer choice in the sensitivity toothpaste arena. FDA lists stannous fluoride in three OTC monographs – Antigingivitis/Antiplaque, Anticaries and Relief of Oral Discomfort. Colgate looks for its Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief with arginine to boost its sensitivity toothpaste sales. However, while the product is available in foreign markets, the firm has delayed the U.S. launch more than a year pending FDA's drug approval (Also see "Colgate Builds Sensitivity Offerings While Awaiting Pro-Relief Approval" - Pink Sheet, 31 Jan, 2011.). NovaMin Differentiates For GSK NovaMin could prove a key differentiator in the sensitivity toothpaste arena. GSK acquired NovaMin Technology, of Alachua, Fla., in December 2009 for £87 million, or $141 million at the exchange rate at the time.
NovaMin "has a specialty oral care ingredient for the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity," GSK said in its 2009 annual report. The $86 million in goodwill included in the acquisition price "represents the potential for additional growth from the combination of the company's technology with specific GSK oral care products," the report added. Glaxo already moved to integrate NovaMin into its professional oral care product portfolio, announcing in January that Dentsply International will launch a pair of co-branded professional dental products with NovaMin: Nupro Sensodyne Professional prophylaxis paste and Sensodyne Nupro Professional toothpaste. A History In Devices NovaMin appeared in dental care products before the firm's acquisition by GSK; a 2004 premarket notification under FDA's 510(k) program for medical devices informed the agency that Butler NuCare Prophylaxis Paste with NovaMin is substantially equivalent to an extant device. "When exposed to an aqueous environment, NovaMin undergoes a rapid surface reaction" to form hydroxycarbonate apatite, which NovaMin Technology said in the notice "is chemically and structurally similar to natural tooth mineral." Tests on the safety of NovaMin showed no evidence of hazardous effects when used as directed, the firm added. Sensodyne is GSK's top-selling consumer health care brand, aided recently by the successful international launch of Sensodyne Rapid Relief (Also see "GSK Divests Non-Core OTCs To Focus On "Priority Brands," Emerging Markets" - Pink Sheet, 7 Feb, 2011.). Glaxo's global oral care sales increased 6% to $2.59 billion in fiscal 2010, the company reported in February. By Dan Schiff |