ZURICH — April 29, 2020 — Striving to help advance the global fight against coronavirus on textiles, HeiQ recently launched HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03, an antimicrobial textile treatment proven effective against human coronavirus (229E) in face mask testing, significantly enhancing the antiviral log reduction from 2.90 of untreated face masks to 4.5, a 30 times improvement with over 99.99-percent reduction of virus infectivity in minutes. It is tested to last at least 30 washes. Since its launch the company has been utilizing its full capacity of 145 tons per day in its four manufacturing sites on three continents.
In his interview with CNN, HeiQ co-founder and Group CEO Carlo Centonze expressed the urgent need to maximize the impact of the international textile industry in fighting the global pandemic, even if that meant sharing HeiQ’s proprietary technology. HeiQ has since offered to share its HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 technology to textile industry peers via a free licence. Sharing the formula, manufacturing protocol and technical guidance will permit the manufacture and commercialization of HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 to meet the regulatory compliance and performance requirement. Licensees will be required to test their treated fabrics with licensed third-party testing institutes to establish efficacy and quality as per HeiQ’s standards. Use of the “HeiQ Viroblock” trademark in relation to treated articles will require trademark authorization directly by HeiQ to ensure truthful and compliant claims.
“There is not a moment to lose. We must act now and act fast to produce textiles for hospitals and every frontline healthcare worker that are more resistant to pathogenic viruses and bacteria. The international textile industry must do our part and work together in a united effort to protect textiles and help in the struggle to reduce the risk and speed of contamination and transmission around the world,” Centonze said. “Reducing transmission and infection rates is the only way to re-open our economies swiftly and maintain jobs in the textile industry,” he added.
Ralf Kattanek, group vice president Textiles of CHT Group said, “We believe by using CHT’s textile expertise and production capacities globally that we can play a key role in mitigating the impact for the healthcare workers and our industry partners by maximizing our reach swiftly.”
David Juang, chairman of Taiwanese textile chemicals manufacturer JINTEX Group adds “We want to show leadership in taking decisive action in a coordinated effort.”
“HeiQ has enlisted the Piedmont Chemical Group to help support its North American production and distribution, in order to assure maximum product availability during the crisis. We are here to join the fight and support HeiQ and our textile industry with all we have,” says Rick Wilson, CEO of U.S.-based Piedmont Chemical Industries.
HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 is a combination of vesicle and silver technologies using HeiQ’s registered silver technologies for antiviral and antibacterial (together antimicrobial) effect. This is accomplished through binding permanently to viral sulfur groups and using HeiQ’s fatty vesicle technology (Liposomes) as a booster that helps deplete swiftly the virus membrane (pericapsis) of its protective cholesterol layer, thereby destroying the enveloped virus. HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 can be applied to many textile surfaces including face masks, air filters, medical gowns, curtains, mattresses, bed linens, drapes and more.
Posted April 29, 2020
Source: HeiQ Materials AG
