Light-Activated Antimicrobial Technology

This technology creates singlet oxygen on fabric/surfaces which kills bacteria and virus, including MRSA and resistant strains.

We have a patented technology where a photosensitizer is co-polymerized into water-based emulsion and solution polymers. The polymers can be applied to fabric or sprayed on surfaces. The polymer dries to a film, and in the presence of light, catalyzes formation of singlet oxygen from ambient air. We find singlet oxygen is airborne and has a significant lifetime in air, allowing it to kill bacteria and virus by a route to which they have not been seen to develop a resistance. It is inactive in the absence of light.

Using the inventors and informed volunteers, breathing through the fabric has reduced the severity and duration of respiratory infections including cold, flu and bacterial-based lung congestion in a COPD/emphysema patient. The solution polymer has cleared "pink eye" and an ear infection.

A trial is running where the emulsion polymer was sprayed on the bedding in a poultry operation where baby chicks are raised. A reduction in mortality rate has already been observed, compared to a control operation, indicating activity against respiratory infections and airborne pathogens.

The spray can be applied to scrub suits and surfaces in medical environments and improve effectiveness of infection control programs. Face masks made from treated fabric can be used to treat respiratory infections, possibly including TB, using treated fabric and sun light. This could provide inexpensive treatment in third world countries where antibiotics are scarce and expensive. There is no need to culture the infectious agent, because singlet oxygen kills them all.

Our technology brings singlet oxygen to bear on surfaces and fabric and in the presence of light, sanitizes them in a manner to which pathogens have not developed resistance. This new technology, because we are working with EPA to register singlet oxygen as a new antimicrobial agent, and register our polymers under their Pesticide Registration rules.  We see evidence of a significant singlet oxygen lifetime in air, making it useful for treating respiratory infections. We call this "Singlet Oxygen Inhalation Therapy".

We modify a photosensitizer to make it co-polymerizable with common monomers to make a solution polymer and emulsion polymer by conventional free radical polymerization processes. We maximize the efficiency of the photosensitizeer use by employing a core-shell polymer particle architecture. We incorporated environmental considerations by using non-Alkyl Phenol Ethoxylate, copolymerizable surfactants. The solution polymer was designed to be self-leveling to give maximum surface area on fibers, and employ a non-formaldehyde self-crosslinking system to make it durable to fabric. We used x-ray fluorescence  microscopy to see how well the polymer coated the fiber.

We have a licensee in Guatemala running a trial in a poultry operation, and plans trials in other poultry and swine operation. He will make polymers for agricultural and medical operations in Central America and Caribbean areas and pay a royalty. We await EPA to allow the emulsion polymer for odor control applications. We hope to license this product for hunters as a scent kill. We continue the Pesticide Registration process with EPA for the solution polymer as fabric treatment. We work with a medical researcher to do evaluations and clinical trials. A patent has been approved.

We hope for international patents to issue. We seek EPA registration for singlet oxygen as an antimicrobial agent, and registration of our polymers under the Pesticide  Registration rules to allow them for commerce in the US. We plan clinical trials to prove effectiveness against various respiratory infections and FDA approvals as a treatment. We plan commercial production of the polymers at a US facility and licensee facilities in Central America, UK/Europe and China. We hope to provide an inexpensive, new treatment for respiratory infections in 3rd world countries, and a means to reduce antibiotic use in livestock and poultry.

Our licensees will have extensive contacts in areas they already serve, and will actively promote our products and technology. In the US, we are in contact with several businessmen and venture capitalists who are well-connected in the sporting and medical markets.  They are very impressed with our technology and waiting on regulatory approval. We have 2 US companies who are interested in licensing our technology and promoting through their existing sales force. We will collect a royalty from the licensees.

We cannot sell our products in the US due to regulatory restrictions. Volunteers who used our samples were impressed and asked what it was, where to buy it, what it cost, and where they could get more for family. Our licensee in Guatemala is running trials for agricultural applications and hopes to begin sales. He will manufacture our products and sell.

We will not sell directly sell to consumers, but will sell to licensee/distributors.  We hope to have at least 5 licensees in 12 months. We will manufacture the concentrated polymers in the US and sell to licensee / distributors who will process for their customers.  Initial applications will be marketed for "odor control" in the US since that will be the first application approved. Within 3 years, we hope for licensees to be selling product for infection control and fabric for masks used for respiratory infections and use their data for FDA approval in the US.

We are 4 partners with complimentary skills. We have extensive expertise in chemistry, polymers, manufacturing, microbiology, sales, marketing, engineering, non-wovens, formulating and international business.

We own the technology and file the patents. We have polymers toll manufactured in the US and sell to US distributors. We license the technology overseas and collect a royalty as they make, market and sell in their territory. We rely on our licensees to grow and expand their sales of a unique, patented, cutting-edge technology.

We hope to get advice, guidance and raise awareness of our technology and its potential. With increased awareness, major players may wish to work with us and help us move forward more rapidly.

EPA approval of our technology as a new antimicrobial agent and Pesticide Registration for our polymers is the first hurdle. Foreign patent filing and approval will be a barrier.Conducting and funding clinical trials for treating respiratory infections are estimated to cost a million or so and take a several years. FDA approval of this technology for medical applications will be the final barrier.