Malaysian glove company Hartalega Holdings Bhd has launched what it says is the world’s first non-leaching antimicrobial glove. The nitrile glove maker says it has invested over US$10 million, over a period of six years, to develop its antimicrobial glove, which was developed in collaboration with antimicrobial R&D firm Chemical Intelligence UK.
The new type of medical examination glove was also developed with help from a renowned University of Nottingham microbiologist. Professor Emeritus Richard James has been working for several years on the project with Hartalega and Chemical Intelligence UK.
Hartalega expects to make further investments for future enhancements to the antimicrobial glove that has built-in antimicrobial technology, proven to kill microorganisms in order to prevent the spread of infections. The company also said the unprecedented innovation provides active protection against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Hartalega Managing Director Kuan Mun Leong said, “Many HAIs such as MRSA are resistant to multiple antibiotics, which makes them difficult to treat. As reported by the World Health Organisation, HAIs affect 4.1 million patients per year in the European Union alone, resulting in 37,000 deaths and additional costs of EUR7 billion.”
He added, “It is our hope that this product will help raise the bar and become a new standard for the global healthcare industry, in order to save lives across the world.”
This technological breakthrough is the first ever to contain a new active microorganism-killing molecule, designed to prevent the spread of bacteria to and from surfaces and people.
With the technology built into the glove, it does not need applications of further solutions or chemicals.
Bacteria coming into contact will be exposed to the antimicrobial activity which, in independent testing, achieved up to a 5-log (99.999%) kill within just five minutes of contact. Part of the testing was carried out in the Advanced Microscopy Unit at the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Biomolecular Science.
The gloves will be available in hospitals around the world because the manufacturing partnership will make sure the product is being produced at a low cost in order to prevent barriers to access.