Purifloh’s exclusive research partner, Somnio Global, is set to commence trialling free radical generation based air purification in two hospitals in India.
Purification specialist Purifloh has announced it will commence in-vivo testing of its free radical generator (FRG) technology at two hospitals in the Indian city of Hyderabad in early December.
The trials will be conducted via the company’s research partner Somnio Global, and will aim to demonstrate the efficacy of Purifloh’s FRG-based air purification system in destroying viable pathogenic mycobacterium bio-aerosols in a clinical environment.
Bio-aerosols are emitted during coughing, sneezing or speaking and are the main mode of transmitting the infectious tuberculosis bacteria.
An initial four-week trial will begin at Government General & Chest Hospital, a specialist tuberculosis treatment centre, and will be followed by a second four-month trial at the inpatient tuberculosis wing within Bhaskar Medical College.
Somnio has an extensive network within India’s research and medical communities and has selected the test sites based on their expertise in the treatment of tuberculosis and their capacity to provide suitable facilities during the test period.
Somnio and Bhaskar have developed protocols required for the in-vivo testing to be safely conducted on resident patients at both hospitals.
Purifloh’s FRG system has already demonstrated strong performance in its ability to eliminate airborne biological contaminants such as tobacco smoke.
In June, the company announced that initial testwork on its patented Bluemist air purification system confirmed it could effectively remove tobacco smoke from a room and destroy the associated odour.
In collecting and destroying noxious chemicals and carcinogens contained within tobacco smoke, Bluemist was able to provide “substantive and preventive health benefits” by improving the air quality of areas exposed to smoking.
According to World Health Organisation statistics, tuberculosis is one of the premier causes of death around the world and surpasses HIV and AIDS as the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent.
The economic cost of tuberculosis is estimated to be over $21 billion per year, including $9.2 billion spent on treatment and control activities.
In 2017, more than 10 million people worldwide developed tuberculosis – one third of those affected were in India.
Purifloh managing director Steve Annear said the Hyderabad trials will help the company understand the full capabilities of FRG within a critical health setting.
“Tuberculosis is a global health crisis with a significant impact on individuals, families and economies,” he said.
“We believe [Somnio and Purifloh] are well-placed to help in addressing this issue.”
At mid-afternoon, shares in Purifloh were trading 11.36% higher at $4.90.
Source: Small Caps