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COVID-19: UK SME seeks manufacturing agreements for single use, disposable face shield visor and cape for healthcare staff

Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Reference Number: TOUK20200703001
Publication Date: 30 July 2020

Summary

A UK based SME, has commercialised a single use, disposable face shield visor and cape to improve biological barrier protection for healthcare staff from COVID-­‐19.
They seek licensing and manufacturing agreements with organisations that have knowledge of similar products. 

This product has been designed following engagement with front-­‐line healthcare staff. It is lightweight, easy to put on and off and comfortable to wear.
Prototypes are available for demonstration.

Description

Sneezing, coughing and speaking has been shown to release infected COVID-­‐19 respiratory droplets. Direct infection transmission can occur when these droplets travel from the respiratory tract of an infectious individual to susceptible mucosal surfaces of a recipient. Droplets can also settle on surfaces, later to be touched and carried on hands leading to self-­‐inoculation (in-­‐direct transmission).

Current personal protective equipment (PPE) options available to healthcare staff have been associated with a number of identified problems. For example, eye protection goggles are generally not disposable, they fog after extended use, tempt healthcare workers to manipulate them with contaminated gloved hands and do not cover the skin completely. On the other hand, many visors currently used are of variable quality, comfort & design. In particular these also fail to cover the skin completely and flaring of the visor edges, distal to the headband support, increases skin exposure to infected respiratory droplets further. When healthcare staff stand over supine patients to perform aerosol generating procedures the direction of droplet dispersal is of

particular concern.

Significant risk exists to healthcare personnel when personal protective equipment fails to optimally cover their skin from infected droplet deposits which can later be touched and carried on hands leading to self-­‐inoculation.

Our face shield visor and cape (UK Patent application in process) mitigates the above risks described and optimally improves biological barrier protection.

They are seeking manufacturers via a manufacturing agreement  and also licensing agreements.

Advantages and Innovations

They have created a disposable face shield visor and cape (UK Patent application in process) that mitigates the risks of direct and in-­‐direct transmission of respiratory borne pathogens, such as the COVID-19 virus.



• A solution to optimise biological barrier protection from acutely expelled body fluids and droplets.

• Offers frontal & lateral wraparound droplet protection of the neck, face and related mucous membranes (eyes, nose and lips).

• Minimises risk of user self@inoculation.

• Easy to put on and off, as the cape binds to underlying garments this reduces user cognitive load.

• Lightweight & disposable. 

• Comfortable to wear for a 12 hour shift, single use following completion of an aerosol generating procedure.

• Designed to optimise users range of movement.

• Optically clear to maintain user situational awareness.

• Early feedback from NHS frontline staff has been overwhelmingly positive.

Stage Of Development

Prototype available for demonstration

Requested partner

Infection prevention control teams (based within Ambulance Services

(pre-­‐hospital), Hospitals and Primary Care Consortiums) to conduct collaborative feasibility trials of their prototype models.

2.Dialogue, with distributors that have experience with healthcare systems, to discuss a future distribution services agreement.

The partner company would ideally have experience of

medical device distribution, particularly personal protective equipment, and have active links to exploit.

Due to the current COVID-­‐19 crisis, following successful feasibility trials, their ambition is to rapidly take this product to market.They have already secured partnership with a materials supplier and have production lines with capacity to deliver on a large scale.

It is envisaged that the partnership will take the form of a manufacturing agreement  but also could be under a licence agreement depending on the circumstances and the type of partner.