MMPI's commercial debut

This week's U.S. launch of CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Periostat doxycycline to treat periodontal disease marks the first commercial availability of a product with matrix metalloproteinase inhibitory activity. Although Periostat is a member of a well-known antibiotic family - the tetracyclines - CGPI has found that the compound's anti-inflammatory activity may be at least as interesting as its antimicrobial properties.

Indeed, Periostat's efficacy in periodontal disease stems from anti-inflammatory activity, specifically inhibition of MMP, an enzyme that breaks down the extracellular matrix surrounding cells...