Byotrol is granted a UK patent

Byotrol has been granted a UK patent for its eponymous bacteriocide product.

The product, which is effective against a variety of bacteria, algae, fungi and viruses including MRSA, SARS, TB, hepatitis, HIV-1, E. Coli, legionella and listeria, is said to offer a number of benefits over conventional bacteriocides. It deals effectively with drug resistant strains, remains effective for up to seven days after application, is virtually harmless to humans and animals, and is formulated from substances which have a very low environmental impact, the company says. It has a three-stage effect: it uses changes in surface tension as the basis of its attack on bacteria: first, it interferes with the conditioning of a surface, making it more difficult for a micro-organism to settle on the surface and stay there and reproduce. Its effects on micro-organisms are deadly, but as it only has a measurable effect on the tiniest of living organisms it is harmless to humans and animals. Second, when the bacteria secrete material in an attempt to form a biofilm, this is disrupted by the pervading surface tension regime, making it much more difficult, or impossible, for the organism to form a firm attachment to the surface. Finally, the organism, in its weakened state, succumbs to the gentle action of the associated biocides contained within Byotrol. These are not heavy duty compounds, but when acting on a tiny life form they cause the organism's membrane to burst before it has a chance to reproduce. Because the chemicals used in the production of Byotrol are well known as biocides, the regulatory hurdles are less stringent than for an entirely new compound. Byotrol is a "new product architecture" that improves the performance of existing substances. The product has undergone numerous safety and efficacy tests as part of an ongoing approval process by the Environment Protection Agency in the US. Patents are pending in the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, China, India, Singapore and South Africa.