Award

The current COVID-19 pandemic has evidenced the pressing and substantial need for sustainable and more effective solutions to prevent the transmission and spreading of pathogens of public health concern, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. High-touch surfaces in high traffic areas represent a particular public health challenge. Cost effective disinfectant coatings with long-term efficacy are sorely needed. Stay-Fresh coatings developed by Quick-Med Technologies offers communities safe, effective, and durable antimicrobial/antiviral protection. The innovation of Stay-Fresh technology is in the reversible binding of hydrogen peroxide (HP) within a complex of zinc oxide, which sequesters HP into a non-volatile form that can bind tightly to fibers as well as nonporous surfaces. In the presence of moisture, HP is released in a controlled manner, creating a highly localized yet potent “kill zone”. Through controlled release, Stay-Fresh provides unparalleled antimicrobial effect, outperforming other formulations in terms of cost, efficacy, ease-of-use and durability. As opposed to other active agents, HP does not entail hazard to human health or environmental impact. Products containing other antimicrobials are known to be related to asthma, dermatitis, and allergies. In addition, they can be washed down the drain or improperly disposed of, representing a potential threat to both the environment and wildlife. In contrast, HP is naturally produced by both animal and plant cells, and concentrations present in the proposed solution are within the safe CDC guidelines. Target customers of Stay-Fresh technology include public transportation companies, municipalities, health and environmental organizations, and other high-touch/high-volume areas such as hospitals, schools and playgrounds, retail merchants, industry settings, office buildings and more. The ease of use of the Stay-Fresh solution is another advantage of the innovation. The treatment can be readily applied without complicated equipment to achieve instantaneous disinfection and durable antimicrobial/antiviral efficacy on treated products, and allows stable long-term storage of the product until needed. Long-lasting antimicrobials held a market share of 16% of the global “smart” coatings market in 2018 and are expected to experience a rapid annual growth rate of over 19% in the 2018-2026 period. The global market of antimicrobial coatings is forecasted to reach $18.8 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 12.8%. The U.S. is expected to represent a substantial share of the global market. Stay-Fresh is an innovative solution to a global problem that holds excellent long-term disinfectant properties and favorable market potential