SALT LAKE CITY — November 13, 2020 — SINTX Technologies Inc., an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of silicon nitride ceramic for medical and non-medical applications, and Iwatani Corp. of America (ICA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Iwatani Corp., announced today that they have entered into a joint development agreement.
The goal of this agreement is to incorporate SINTX AP2 silicon nitride powder into polymer materials. These materials will become safe and effective surfaces for IT devices such as cases for cell phones and tablets that are touched frequently. SINTX and Iwatani aim to create surfaces that resist bacteria and viruses. The successful development of these products may help prevent and reduce the spread of respiratory diseases like SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A, and H1N1 by inactivating viruses and bacteria on the polymer surfaces.
“We are pleased to enter this joint development agreement with Iwatani, toward developing new products that leverage the intrinsic antipathogenic properties of silicon nitride,” said Dr. Bal. “The collaboration with Iwatani is intended to directly apply our material science expertise toward new product development and revenues, a very significant and exciting move for SINTX.”
SINTX and Iwatani intend to capitalize on recent and promising data demonstrating the potential of SINTX AP2silicon nitride powder to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic. Studies showing the rapid inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by SINTX’s silicon nitride are the latest in a series of papers showing similar activity of silicon nitride against a variety of bacteria and viral strains. SINTX and Iwatani plan to jointly fund collaborative product development activities in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Japan with the support of external laboratories as well.
SINTX notes it is working diligently to incorporate silicon nitride into several products such as masks and consumer electronic products and other surfaces that will help inactivate respiratory pathogens. The joint development agreement between Iwatani and SINTX will help SINTX advance their materials science, while external partners like Iwatani develop commercial products that can help protect the worldwide community against viral diseases.
Posted November 13, 2020
Source: SINTX Technologies, Inc
