SBIR Phase I: HaloFilm – a spray-on, rechargeable, reapplicable antimicrobial coating

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的广泛影响是开发一种具有独特应用和功效特征的抗菌表面涂层。多达三分之一的医疗保健相关感染（HAI）病例可归因于环境表面，特别是医院的“高接触”表面（如床轨、机器按钮、设备）。在美国，估计每年有170万例HAI在医院发生，导致99,000人死亡，估计医疗费用为200亿美元。拟议中的项目将推进一种解决方案的开发，该解决方案提供持续的保护，免受细菌、真菌和病毒，以及食源性病原体甚至霉菌的侵害。目前的消毒模式依赖于每天或更少地杀死病原体，使表面容易受到新的污染。建议的抗菌涂层保持表面完整性，潜在地服务于医院、长期护理设施、门诊中心和其他应用，如家庭健康、食品安全、公共交通安全、霉菌减少和学校。拟议的项目将研究一种喷涂、可充电、可重复使用的抗菌表面涂层的转化效用、有效性和安全性。提出的技术是一种喷雾解决方案，在表面上留下一层薄薄的透明膜。该薄膜是一种聚合物，由一种附着在表面的单体和另一种稳定氯的单体组成。该涂层将表面转化为氯电池，这样即使是市售的消毒剂也会使表面覆盖氯，这种形式可以持续两周以上，接触后不会产生毒性作用。由于该涂层依赖于氯，因此具有优异的抗病原体功效；由于其广谱功效而不会在病原体中产生耐药性，它已经使用了几十年。提出的工作是推进配方的发展，包括防污单体。第一阶段的目标是证明对艰难梭菌（一种医院特别关注的病原体）的疗效。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop an antimicrobial surface coating with unique application and efficacy features. As many as one-third of Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) cases can be attributed to environmental surfaces, particularly hospital “high touch” surfaces (e.g., bed rails, machine buttons, equipment). In the US, an estimated 1.7 million HAI occur in hospitals each year, resulting in 99,000 deaths and an estimated $20 billion in healthcare costs. The proposed project will advance the development of a solution offering continuous protection from bacteria, fungi and viruses, as well as food-borne pathogens and even mold. The current disinfecting paradigm relies on killing pathogens daily or less frequently, leaving surfaces vulnerable to new contamination. The proposed antimicrobial coating maintains surface integrity, potentially serving hospitals, long-term care facilities, outpatient centers, and other applications such as home health, food safety, mass transit safety, mold abatement, and schools.The proposed project will investigate the translational utility, efficacy and safety of a spray-on, re-chargeable, re-applicable antimicrobial surface coating. The proposed technology is a spray-on solution that leaves a thin transparent film on a surface. The film is a polymer composed of one monomer adhering to the surface and a second another monomer that stabilizes chlorine. The coating converts the surface into a chlorine battery such that even a commercially available sanitizer leaves the surface covered with chlorine in a form that can last for more than two weeks without toxic effects upon contact. The proposed coating has excellent efficacy against pathogens because it relies on chlorine; it has enjoyed decades of use because of its broad-spectrum efficacy without generating resistance in pathogens. The proposed work is to advance the development of a formulation that includes anti-fouling monomers. The goal for this Phase I effort is to demonstrate efficacy against Clostridium difficile, a particularly concerning pathogen for hospitals.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.