LGInternational Licenses Sharklet Technologies' Sharklet-patterned Films for Tactivex®- a New Line of Bacterial Inhibition Covers for High-touch Surfaces in Healthcare
o LGInternational to manage sales, marketing and distribution of Tactivex to healthcare providers who seek new solutions to help protect patients from bacteria
Portland, OR, and Denver, CO - LGInternational (LGI), manufacturer of advanced labeling solutions, and Sharklet Technologies, Inc., developer of the Sharklet(TM) technology that inhibits bacterial survival and transfer through a surface micro-pattern, today announced a breakthrough business agreement through which LGI has licensed Sharklet-patterned films to create a new line of bacterial inhibition products targeted for use on high-touch surfaces in the healthcare market. LGI is bringing the bacterial inhibition covers to market via its Tactivex® product line.
LGI's Tactivex with Sharklet products are semi-durable covers that can be used in the form of an adhesive backed protective skin or as easy-to-use protective mats. Tactivex products are applied to high-touch surfaces in healthcare environments that serve as vectors for disease transfer. The covers feature the Sharklet micro-pattern on the surface of the product. Sharklet is the world's first micro-pattern designed to inhibit the survival and transfer of bacteria including Staph. a, MRSA, E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and a host of other bacteria that serve as primary culprits for hospital-acquired infections. The pattern is free of disinfectants, chemicals and toxins; it is the Sharklet pattern alone that inhibits bacterial survival and reduces transfer of bacteria to hands when touched. Based on Sharklet's ability to inhibit bacterial growth through a micro-pattern and its biomimetic inspiration from sharkskin, Sharklet was recently featured on the high-profile PBS NOVA series Making Stuff: Smarter.
The Tactivex product line will feature covers for the surfaces that leading microbiologists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control have identified as critical for keeping clean. These surfaces include: patient bed rails, overbed tray tables, bedside tables, staff call handsets, patient room light switches and door levers. The Tactivex line will also feature a product for nurse stations and areas that serve as pivot points of activity between patient room visits.
"As the pioneer of labels and film-based products for controlled environments, LGInternational has had a long-standing commitment to preserving the cleanliness of environments. With Tactivex, we are taking this to an entirely new level by transforming high-touch surfaces into cleaner areas. Tactivex powered by the Sharklet technology creates a cleanliness safety net that is virtually impossible to achieve in settings where surfaces cannot be sanitized after every contamination," said Mike Martin, president and owner of LGInternational. "We are proud to work with this innovative bacterial inhibition technology, which enables LGI to bring a product to market that is chemical free and does not contribute to growing problems associated with bacterial resistance."
Currently, 271 people, the equivalent of one airline crash, die each day from hospital-acquired infections. HAIs kill more people than AIDS, breast cancer and auto accidents combined. In a recent CDC paper detailing Options for Evaluating Environmental Cleaning, it was noted that all hospitals are encouraged to develop programs to optimize throroughness of high-touch surface cleaning at the time of discharge or transfer of patients. While no products were endorsed by the CDC, with deployment of Tactivex with Sharklet, hospitals can improve overall hygiene efforts by keeping surfaces cleaner between cleanings.
"We are pleased to enter this licensing arrangement with LGInternational to bring Sharklet-patterned films to market under the Tactivex brand," said Mark Spiecker, chief executive officer at Sharklet Technologies. "LGI is renowned for advancing the technology of labels and bringing innovative products to clean room environments. We expect the company to be equally successful in delivering this innovative product to the healthcare market."
The Tactivex products are available as standard products and can also be tailored to specific requirements. For more information, contact LGInternational through www.tactivex.com.
About LGInternational
LGInternational develops advanced labeling solutions for the most demanding markets, including semiconductor, storage media, life sciences and electronics. LGI manufactures clean room labels, product identification and bar code labels, high temperature labels, cryogenic and chemical indicator labels, front panel overlays, membrane switches, die cut parts, ESD/RFI/EMI insulators and shields, thermal molded and film insert molded 3D parts, regulatory compliant labels (UL, CSA, RoHS, WEEE), and tamper, temperature and moisture indicating labels. A strong commitment to research and innovation uniquely positions LGI to contribute to the quality and profitability of its customers through the discovery of new and better ways of using materials and technology to solve tough problems. For more information, call 1-800-345-0534 or visit www.lgintl.com. More about Tactivex at www.tactivex.com.
About Sharklet Technologies, Inc.
Sharklet Technologies is a biotechnology company that develops surface technologies that are designed to inhibit microorganism growth to make the world a healthier, environmentally safer and better place. Inspired by the microbial-resistant properties of sharkskin, Sharklet(TM), the company's core technology, is the world's first micro-pattern developed to control bacteria including Staph a., MRSA, VRE, E. coli and a host of others. Sharklet(TM) is suited for commercial, healthcare, food service and laboratory environments where bacterial inhibition is desired to help protect human health. The company is based at the Bioscience Park Center, an incubator in the Fitzsimons Life Science District adjacent to the renowned Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colo. More at www.sharklet.com.
Wayne Smith
E-Marketing Manager
LGInternational
Media Contact:
Wayne Smith
LGInternational
503-352-8369
waynes@lgintl.com
LGInternational
6700 SW Bradbury Court
Portland OR 97224
Phone 800 345 0534
Fax 503 620 3296
