Development of A Biodegradable Antimicrobial Invisible-Glove (Protective Skin Guard) that Reduces the Use of Disposable PPE

鉴于COVID-19爆发后个人防护装备（PPE）严重短缺，需求飙升，NAVCO Pharmaceuticals Limited开发了BioActiveTM，这是一种革命性的无毒、不易燃、不含酒精的手部消毒霜，可防止病原体。这种霜作为一种屏障，并提供类似PPE的保护沿着消毒手和消毒表面。然而，这种霜的效果只持续较短的时间。考虑到这种面霜的好处以及医疗保健和基本服务工作者对更安全和创新产品的需求，NAVCO计划通过提高其长期有效性将其面霜提升到一个新的水平，以便面霜可以充当隐形手套。这种霜将作为一个屏障霜/皮肤防护与抗菌效果。这种保护性皮肤防护装置将通过增加对危险材料的物理屏障和对病原体的化学屏障而与传统手套和其他PPE一起增加沿着额外的安全级别。NAVCO将与可穿戴、互动和移动的技术健康访问中心（WIMTACH）合作，开发一种抗菌、安全、具有成本效益、持久耐用和可生物降解的“隐形手套”，如果发现有效，甚至可以在一定程度上取代手套，减少垃圾填埋场的废物。此次合作将为公司提供竞争优势，扩大产品的市场适用性，面向医疗保健工作者（HCW）、诊断和BSL 1-2实验室的研究人员和学生、餐馆的食品处理人员以及公众。

Seeing the critical shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with the onset of COVID-19 and its skyrocketing demand, the NAVCO Pharmaceuticals Limited developed BioActiveTM, a revolutionary non-toxic, non-flammable, alcohol-free hand sanitizing cream that protects from pathogens. This cream acts as a barrier and provide PPE like protection along with sanitizing hands and disinfecting surfaces. However, effects of this cream last only for a shorter duration. Looking at the benefit of this cream and need of a safer and innovative product for healthcare and essential services workers, NAVCO is planning to advance their cream to the next level by increasing its effectivity for long term so that the cream can act as an invisible glove. This cream will act like a barrier cream/ skin guard with antimicrobial effects. This protective skin guard will add an additional security level along with the traditional gloves and other PPE by adding a physical barrier to the hazardous materials and chemical barrier to pathogens. NAVCO will collaborate with Wearable, Interactive and Mobile Technology Access Centre in Health (WIMTACH) to develop an antimicrobial, safe, cost-effective, long-lasting, and biodegradable "invisible-glove", which if found effective can even replace gloves to some extent and reduce the landfill waste. The collaboration will provide competitive advantage to the company by expanding the marketability of the product for Health Care Workers (HCW), researchers and students in diagnostic and BSL 1-2 labs, food handlers in restaurants, as well as for the public.