Dec 8 2010
The United States Patent Office has issued to Biosafe, Inc. a composition of matter patent on the siloxane polymer that is the keystone of the company's proprietary antimicrobial technology, it was announced today by Max Fedor, President and CEO. The patent number is 7851653.
The chemistry underlying the Biosafe antimicrobial causes it to molecularly bond to the treated surfaces of film, sheet, molded plastics, nonwovens, metals, wood, and other substances, enabling it to resist leaching or migration and providing long-lasting protection against bacteria, mold, mildew, and fungi. In addition, the antimicrobial punctures and ruptures the cell walls of target microbes rather than leaching into the cells. This action prevents the microorganisms from mutating and adapting to the antimicrobial treatment, becoming so-called "super-bugs" that have become a source of cross-infection in hospitals and clinics.
Commercial applications of Biosafe antimicrobial include medical devices, portable electronics, computer keyboards, building products, sporting goods, and apparel, noted Fedor.
"The effectiveness of Biosafe antimicrobial can be gauged by its truly remarkable spectrum of activity and diversity of applications," Fedor said. "In medical products, Biosafe polymer is being used to combat harmful bacteria and viruses commonly encountered in clinical settings. Medical textiles treated with the polymer have demonstrated a 99.999% [5 log] reduction of certain microorganisms within five minutes. Among the microbes involved in tests required for submission to the FDA were MRSA, VRE, Influenza A, and staphylococcus aureaus."
The additive costs less to use than conventional silver-ion antimicrobials, which must be used at much higher concentration levels, according to Fedor.
Biosafe, Inc. holds two previous U.S. patents on its antimicrobial technology.