Novel antimicrobial polymer receives EPA approval

Nouvex, an antimicrobial additive technology clinically proven to be effective against bacteria as well as select viruses and fungi received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, Antimicrobial Division, as a material preservative.

Nouvex represents a new approach to solving the problem of microbial contamination of materials with the potential of reducing or eliminating microbial induced degradation in a variety of materials such as textiles, thermoplastics, powder coatings as well as water and solvent based coatings. In addition to the proven efficacy of Nouvex against a wide range of microbes, Nouvex technology possesses ow toxicity and biocompatibility with mammalian cells enabling a wide range of potential applications.

Poly Group LLC, a company based located in the Purdue Research Park of Southeast Indiana is commercializing the Nouvex technology. Poly Group received a global license for the technology from Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization in 2010.

Poly Group plans to continue development of the technology enabling additional EPA and FDA registrations as the data becomes available.To that end they have entered into an agreement to assist in the introduction of Nouvex technology into urinary catheters that could result in a FDA Class II registration.

Craig Kalmer, chief operating officer of PolyGroup, said the approval demonstrates that Nouvex, if used as directed, is safe to the environment and provides effective material protection as a preservative.

"Nouvex works in a way that is unlike current chemicals or metal agents such as triclosan, copper and silver, making it conducive for use as a material preservative in substantives such as thermoset and thermoplastics and synthetics; injection molding; and extrusion and powder coatings," Kalmer said. "The EPA registration is based on independent laboratory testing that demonstrates the ability of Nouvex to preserve a wide variety of materials.

"The antimicrobial plastics market alone is a multi-billion dollar industry with multiple options and pathways for commercializing Nouvex."