TekniPlex Healthcare, which utilises advanced materials science expertise to help deliver better patient outcomes, has introduced antimicrobial medical compounds that can be utilised to produce patient-contact products, including catheters, connectors, gas hoses, injection systems such as syringes, and needle-free injectors such as pens. 

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Now available for formulation and production, the products can incorporate silver ion technology proven to drastically reduce the risk of contamination due to bacteria build-up.

Currently, TekniPlex is offering polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds formulated with silver ion technology. To develop its antimicrobial series of products, TekniPlex Healthcare integrates the silver ion additives – which have natural antimicrobial properties – with its broad array of current medical grade flexible and rigid PVC compounds, or its medical grade CELLENE TPE compounds. Unlike disinfectants that last just a few hours, formulating a medical product with antimicrobial compounds provides protection throughout the product's lifespan.

Silver ion antimicrobial applications stand on a firm foundation of sound science. When challenged by the presence of bacteria on a surface, the release of silver ions inhibit a bacteria cellʼs ability to reproduce. The silver ions enter the cell through its outer layer, block enzymes to prevent the cell from generating energy, and disrupt its DNA, thereby removing its ability to split and create a duplicate of itself. The technology is effective against a wide range of bacteria from Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella to antibiotic-resistant bacteria like Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). 

Given the perils of healthcare facility-borne infections, the antimicrobial solutions could benefit hospitals and other care centres. Products made with silver-containing compounds can achieve 80% bacteria reduction in 15 minutes and are over 99.9% effective after two hours. Tested to ISO 22196:2011 standards, TekniPlex Healthcare’s medical grade compounds were shown to reduce E. coli and staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by over 99.9% in 24 hours.

Chris Qualters, CEO of TekniPlex Healthcare, said: “Developing ways to reduce the risk for bacterial growth in clinical settings aligns with our longstanding commitment to improving patient outcomes through materials science solutions. A clean clinical environment benefits both patients and staff, and the ability to incorporate this technology in direct patient contact items like catheters, connectors, gas hoses and injection devices is highly valuable.”