The Journey

About The Journey

PCABioScience, LLC was founded in June of 2021 by Dr. Lanny Johnson.  The purpose was to have a place to house his intellectual property resulting from 15 years of research and development on a new reagent; protocatechuic acid (PCA for short). View Intellectual Property Here.

Dr. Johnson is an internationally recognized orthopedic surgeon.  His primary clinical contribution was as one of the pioneers of arthroscopic surgery.  He had multiple surgical inventions as well as contributing innovative surgical procedures for treatment of synovial joints; knee, shoulder, elbow, and hip.  He published many articles concerning such and authored several textbooks related to his clinical practice.  (C.V)

Since concluding his clinical practice, he has been devoted to research and development, specifically for protocatechuic acid.

This has resulted in multiple US patients and extensions internationally specifically for his discovery of protocatechuic acid, a pharmaceutical reagent that has many amazing properties.

  • Broad Spectrum Antibiotic
  • Biofilm destroyer
  • Local growth factor stimulator
  • Wound healing accelerator
  • Inactivates COVID19 virus. [link to viral page]
  • Coating of masks and personal protective equipment.

The Journey:  Dr. Johnson saw an article in a Lansing Michigan newspaper in 2005 that reported on the studies of Michigan State University scientists.  They reported that the dyes of cherries placed upon the pancreas cells of a rodent resulted in production of insulin, the natural function of such cells.

This prompted him to consider whether these plant dyes would induce hormonal expression in other tissues; specifically, the synovium of human joint lining.  Testing at independent contract laboratory confirmed such.  This resulted in US patent 8, 263, 069.  At the same time, it was learned that the reactive agent was not the parent dye known as cyanidin-3-glucoside but PCA when subject to carbon labeling.

Vitaglione, P., Donnarumma, G., Napolitano, A., Galvano, F. et al., Protocatechuic acid is the major human metabolite of cyanidin-glucoside. J. Nutr. 2007, 137, 2043–2048.

The next step was an animal study at independent contract laboratories in Maryland.  These showed that oral administration of PCA to rabbits caused their joint lining to produce PCA and cause healing of a surgically induced arthritis.  A patent application was submitted years ago and is still under review on technicalities.

While waiting on this patent application, Dr. Johnson searched the literature for other potential applications of PCA.  He saw that raw plant extracts with many ingredients had antibiotic properties as reported in Asian medicine.  Some of these has PCA as one of many other ingredients.

He then designed research studies for another independent laboratory in Michigan, his home state.  These studies on rodent wounds contaminated with MRSA and Pseudomonas bacteria were decontaminated in 2 days of the infection.  Surprisingly, the wound was also healed.  Further study showed the wound was completely healed, but showed a layer of collagen in the skin, not seen in the control animals.

The following microscopic evidence of collagen production in the superficial wound of a rodent.  The photomicrograph on the left is lower power than the one on the right.  Both had the superficial skin stripped off to produce the wound.  It was to replicate the clinical condition of dermabrasion or exfoliation.

The evidence of collagen formation even as early as two days was seen by a special trichrome dye.  The blue color represents collagen formation.  It is not seen the untreated, but very evident on the right photomicrograph of the protocatechuic acid topical treatment of the wound.

No treatment/No collagen
PCA treatment/ blue stain collagen

Not only was the would surface healed with new skin, but the collagen was produced in the dermis as well.  There had to be a reason.  Another similar study was performed, but this time to assess the local skin growth hormones.  The hypothesis was confirmed, that the repair was due to optimization of the local growth hormones.

These observations resulted in the following US patent 9,925,152.  The claims included PCA as a collagen producer, wound healer, winkle and scar reducer.

The following progress is best outlined with the US patents granted for each of the investigations.

Patents

September 11, 2012.  This patent showed that the dyes of plants (anthocyanins and anthocyanins) the precursor of the metabolite protocatechuic acid turned on the gene for growth hormone IGF-1 in human synovium.

November 8, 2016.  This patent secured the intra articular injection route not previously included in the granted patent claims for cyanidin-3-glucoside.

November 22, 2016.  This was the parent patent showing broad spectrum antibiotic properties and wound healing acceleration.  See the illustrations above.

March 27, 2018.This was a continuation of the parent application that adds 2,4,6 trihydroxybenzaldehyde to the broad-spectrum antibiotic, plus collagen proliferation (i.e. wrinkle treatment) and reduction in scar formation.

March 27, 2018.This was a continuation of the parent application that adds 2,4,6 trihydroxybenzaldehyde to the broad-spectrum antibiotic, plus collagen proliferation (i.e. wrinkle treatment) and reduction in scar formation.

May 15, 2018.  This patent secures that protocatechuic acid can only be manufactured and delivered to an end user by the owner of this patent.

 

June 5, 2018.  This patent was a continuation of 9,925,152 that now allowed for intra-articular injection.

July 26, 2018.  This patent included the metabolites of protocatechuic acid and 2,4,6 trihydroxybenzaldehyde for the destruction of biofilms of MRSA and Pseudomonas on metal, cloth and ceramic.

July 26, 2018.  This was an expansion of 10,004,705 applications.

July 10, 2018. This patent expanded the formulation for treatment of implants to include protocatechuic acid, 70% isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol, and an essential oil.

July 31, 2018. This patent includes the chemical formulation of 10,016,380 for medical and surgical implants, dental implants and instrumentation.  The later for spaying or soaking in solution.

December 4, 2018. This patent secures the use of PCA to  coat a bandage or dressing at time or treatment and or a commercial preparation for as stated in claim #22 if a wound is a burn, skin break, bone break, muscle tear, puncture, surgical incision site, microdermabrasion site, skin graft site, a wound associated with diabetes, a bed sore, a pressure sore, skin defoliation, or a laceration, and wherein the protocatechuic acid becomes activated by contact with moisture from the wound.

April 23, 2019. An extension of prior claims that specifically cite PCA as an antibacterial for Propionibacterium acnes.  This for the treatment of skin acne.

May 21, 2019.   This patent extends the use of PCA to the food industry.

September 3, 2019. This is a non-surgical method of loosening biofilms from an implant via ultrasound and then treating without surgery.  The treatment would be repeated needle aspirations for infection status and then injection of protocatechuic acid crystals to destroy the biofilms attached to the implant.

October 1, 2019. This is an extension and further specification of the skin penetration formulation claims for pre-operative skin disinfection and facial acne with concentration above 10%.

September 5, 2020.  This is an extension that includes the disinfectant and sanitizer use emphasizing the residual anti-microbial protocatechuic acid coating the remains on the article and or person after the evaporation of the liquid vehicle.

 

March 30, 2021.  The treatment of COVID19 virus with protocatechuic acid.  This patent is for treating the patient; oral, intravenous, injection, etc.  

I claim:

1. A method of treating Covid-19 in a mammal comprising: administering to the mammal in need thereof a composition comprising protocatechuic acid. 
 
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mammal is a human.

August 31, 2021.  Anti-microbials and the Methods and Use thereof. This patent is for mitigation of bacteria and virus (COVID 19) by coating of personal protective equipment; masks, gowns, hats, shoes, etc.

3/8/2022. Anti-microbials and the Methods and Use thereof.  This patent for the mitigation of SARS Co-2 virus on skin, protective equipment and hard surfaces.  

I claim: 
 
1. A method of interrupting the transmission of SARS CoV2 virus comprising: spraying, coating, fogging, and/or infusing a subject’s skin or personal protective equipment, room and/or facility, with a composition comprising protocatechuic acid, a liquid vehicle comprising an alcohol, and a stabilizer, the composition disinfecting SARS CoV2 virus on the subject’s skin or personal protective equipment, room and/or facility, upon contact; and forming a solid coating of protocathechuic acid on the subject’s skin or personal protective equipment, room and/or facility upon evaporation of the liquid vehicle, and disinfecting SARS CoV2 virus with the solid coating of protocatechuic acid for up to 24 hours.

May 24, 2022. Candida auris disinfectant. 

May 24, 2022. Compositions including combination of cannabinoid (CBS) and protocatechuic acid.

Summary

As of August 31, 2021, Dr. Lanny Johnson has US patents on multiple clinical applications for use of PCA for mitigation and treatment of broad-spectrum antibiotic, importantly a biofilm destroyer and now anti-viral reagent for COVID19.

The next chapter is seeking EPA and FDA regulatory approval where applications have or are being submitted.