SALT LAKE CITY — February 25, 2021 — O2TODAY, a mask company that develops, manufactures and commercializes face masks for medical and non-medical uses, and SINTX Technologies Inc., an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of silicon nitride ceramics, announced today they have entered into a worldwide exclusive licensing agreement.
O2TODAY expects to release its first consumer mask integrated with SINTX’s silicon nitride during 2021. The mask will inactivate pathogens in the fabric itself, therefore reducing the spread of viral diseases and effectively fighting against COVID-19. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, SINTX Technologies has been testing the antiviral properties of silicon nitride for use in antipathogenic applications. Rigorous safety, efficacy, and wearability tests are currently underway.
O2TODAY and SINTX entered a collaboration during 2020 shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic was underway. The newly announced and signed Technology License Agreement is a two-year engagement, with an option for extension. The agreement includes a license fee, a commercial agreement on silicon nitride sales, and royalties based upon product sales of the masks and filters.
“We are thrilled to enter this agreement with SINTX Technologies, a company that has a remarkable history of conducting the science and developing products based on silicon nitride and its various formulations,” said Bruce Lorange, CEO of O2TODAY. “We are passionate about respiratory health, and have been an innovator in the design, and manufacturing of protective face wear that reduces exposure to airborne threats since 2015. We believe that this agreement will position O2TODAY as a market leader in the next generation of face masks to combat COVID-19 and other air-borne ailments caused by viruses and bacteria.”
“The development of a catch-and-kill mask containing SINTX’s silicon nitride is an important step towards offering viral protection to healthcare professionals and the general public,” said Dr. Sonny Bal, CEO and president of SINTX Technologies. “Given the effectiveness of silicon nitride in inactivating pathogens, there is an opportunity to turn what has been single-use masks into a reusable PPE, thereby extending their life for healthcare workers and essential personnel.”
O2TODAY products are distributed through airport and travel retailers, direct-to-consumer, enterprise, and healthcare channels. COVID-19 has boosted the market demand for respiratory and surgical masks with overall shipments estimated to reach over 10 billion units by 2025. Beyond COVID-19, there is a global need for respiratory hygiene, and the global reusable mask market is expected to continue growing. In addition to disease-causing viruses and bacteria, particulate pollution, dust, and smoke, and respiratory diseases are a reality in many countries, including the United States.
To control the supply chain from raw material to finished goods, and to meet the global demand for face masks driven by COVID-19, O2TODAY established a new production facility in Salt Lake City, close to SINTX’s manufacturing plant. O2TODAY produces a range of products including surgical and N95 health care respirator masks, as well as replacement filters for its line of reusable face masks.
Posted March 1, 2021
Source: O2Today/SINTX
