NOB166, a company from Castellón (Spain), has developed the patent for NOB166, an active ingredient used in textiles to guarantee protection against Coronavirus for 7 days after washing. Now, as part of their expansion strategy, they will start operating with a new entity within the framework of the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC). Ancor Tecnológica Canaria SL, a company that specialises in the research, development and marketing of nanotechnology-based projects for textile antimicrobial protection, has chosen the Canary Islands as a strategic point to advance with its antimicrobial patent NOB166 into new markets in Africa, Latin America and the United States, as well as to reinforce its strong commitment to research in the field of nanotechnology-based biocides.
This active principle is called NOB166, a silver-derived additive, which, as Noelia Beltrán, the company’s CEO, explained, “guarantees protection against Coronavirus, other bacteria and microorganisms in any type of fabric”. “Our active component is especially effective against Coronavirus, inactivating it and protecting garments from possible infections for 7 days after washing”, she pointed out. She also added that NOB166 may be included in detergent or fabric softener formulations to obtain post-wash protection, even in cold water, thus increasing defenses with a multi-targeted effect, inactivating the proteins of the virus and preventing it from replicating. This makes it a very effective protection barrier for healthcare staff and patients. In addition, she pointed out that NOB166 is safe for humans and the environment.
Beltrán explained that this powerful antimicrobial agent works using an encapsulation system that releases its active principle in a controlled way; its biocide capacity acts at different levels (enzyme, cell membrane or wall and nucleus) attacking the cell on three fronts, eliminating thus the deposit and proliferation of bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms from any garment. At the moment, this patent is currently being marketed nationally and internationally through the detergent industry and dermatological laboratories. However, the company wants to take another step forward and is now focusing its strategy towards the health and industrial fields, with the intention of increasing awareness and its application in different professional sectors as a protection barrier against Coronavirus.
Noelia Beltrán explained that in the health-care sector, it has been proven that textiles (towels, sheets, pajamas, gowns and uniforms) are a focus for the development of a large number of bacteria, and they are one of the main vehicles or vectors for the transmission of diseases within hospitals. More than 80% of hospital clothing contains potentially dangerous bacteria. That is why, as the expert explained, washing clothes with the patented NOB166 solution and protecting it for 7 days would reduce these figures, as it would serve as a white armor in health centers. “We have already contacted different hospitals around the world that have shown interest in this solution. Our goal is to use nanotechnology-based research to help” she said.
The company, based at the Technology Park Gran Canaria (PTGC), has started new nanotechnology-based projects for textile antimicrobial protection, and is also studying how to apply this active principle to other surfaces (such as floors or walls). The company has also placed its know-how at the disposal of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) to create synergies in both areas to open up new lines of research in other areas with great future potential.