NOTTINGHAM, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new anti-viral mask which kills 99.9% of Covid-19 virus within five minutes of contact has been launched today – offering an unparalleled level of protection against viruses not just for those around them but for the wearer too.
Aimed at all types of industry, from hospital and care homes, to schools, to the retail & leisure industries, Pro-Larva differs from conventional masks because, as well as protecting those around the wearer, it protects the wearer themselves, using revolutionary copper nanoparticle technology developed here in the UK.
Antony Legge, Chairman of the parent company Pharm2Farm explains: “Conventional surgical-type TR2 masks only block virus from exiting the mask – they don’t have an active mechanism for killing it once it’s trapped in the mask. Pro-Larva has been designed to use existing barrier technology but also to combine it with α-virion™, a copper nanoparticle technology that kills 99.9% of the virus once it is trapped in the mask.”
This viricidal layer is effective for up to seven hours. Current surgical masks are only effective for around two hours, which requires health care professionals in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to wear between 4-10 masks per day.
Because of Pro-Larva’s longer effective life this greatly reduces the number of masks required, therefore reducing costs for the hospital or care home. Pro-Larva is also self-sterilising – killing Covid-19 on contact means there is no infection risk from discarded masks after use, removing any potential biohazard.
The effectiveness of the mask against the coronavirus and Influenza has been tested by an independent laboratory and a leading UK university. It has also received European regulatory approval and carries a CE mark, meaning it has been independently reviewed.
The Pro-Larva idea was developed by scientists at Pharm2Farm led by Dr Gareth Cave. Pharm2Farm recently installed a face mask production line in Nottingham, UK and are working with European and global face mask manufacturers to scale-up the supply of Pro-Larva to meet demand.
Dr Gareth Cave, founder of the technology and Pharm2Farm, added: “Helping healthcare professionals protect themselves, their co-workers and patients is very important, and we are keen to support the NHS. However, there are many other categories of frontline workers we are looking to engage with – from schools to care home workers, to the retail and leisure industries – who could benefit from this next generation mask.”
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About Pharm2Farm
Pharm2Farm is a VC backed Nottingham Trent University spin-out which provides advanced nanoparticle-based solutions for plant, animal and human care through a patented novel production process. For more information, please visit the website: www.pharm2farm.org
About the Pro-Larva mask
The 4 ply anti-viral disposable medical mask from Pharm2Farm Ltd is proven to kill up to 99.9% of coronaviruses and 90% of influenza for up to 7 hours. The mask is splash resistant with a melt blown filter and hypoallergenic layers and uses Pharm2Farm’s proprietary α-virion™ virucidal technology, featuring copper nanoparticles. The Pro-Larva mask is CE marked and its α-virion™ layer has been certified to ISO 18184 standards. ISO 18184 is a standard protocol to quantify the antiviral properties of textile materials. For more information about Pro-Larva mask, its features and suppliers, please visit: https://pro-larva.com/
