PORTFOLIO

Effective hand sanitization is one of the best methods of reducing the spread of pathogens from surface-to-surface or from hand-to-face. However, gloves can protect our hands, but most of them do not have any anti-microbial properties and do not stop the transmission. Existing hand sanitizers can disinfect our hands for one or two minutes, that is, until the alcohol evaporates. Lasting antimicrobial agents exist, but only for metal and glass surfaces.
Disigel is a novel gel-based approach consisting of a polymeric and an antimicrobial agent that from a permanent antibacterial and antiviral layer to protect the skin. The innovative solution enables users to touch infected surfaces without taking the risk of infecting themselves or spreading infections in their environment. The need to wear gloves, change them frequently, wash or disinfect hands after every possible contact, would not be required anymore.
Lumendo has developed over the past years a portfolio of soft-tissue replacing materials with antimicrobial properties or the ability to block bacteria from migrating. In the wake of the current Covid-19 pandemic, we realized the two-fold potential of our technologies to fight epidemics like Sars-CoV-2, but also to reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, one of the major health challenges of the next decades.

The present project aims at developing such a product, where we exploit our library of compositions and combine them with selected antimicrobial agents. Skin adhesion, stability, usability, antibacterial properties and potential cytotoxic effects will be evaluated. Employing a skin model the long-term biocompatibility of the antimicrobial gel formulations will be studied before selected samples will be tested against Sars-CoV-2.
Upon successful completion, the proposed project will provide a product with the potential to disrupt the global hand sanitizer market by providing healthcare professionals, patients, and consumers an easy and efficient solution to prevent surface-to-surface and hand-to-face transmission of pathogens.

All synthetic goals for developing novel antimicrobial agents were met.
We were successfully able to develop the technology capable of retaining antimicrobial agents. The formulations adhere to skin and remain adhered for several hours.
We observed > 99.9 % reduction of bacteria tested when exposed to all Disigel samples. Even after washing of the sample up to 20 times or soaking in water for two hours, > 99.9 % reduction of bacteria was still observed.