First ‘Military-grade’ Spray to Fight COVID-19 Available in the Shops

Ploughshare Innovations is proud to be part of the team that has enabled a ‘military-grade’ disinfectant spray to fight coronavirus to be made available to the public.

The new disinfectant spray, called VIRUSEND, has been developed by Pritchard Spray in conjunction with the British Army. Funded in part by both the Army and InnovateUK, VIRUSEND is proven to kill SARS-CoV-2, the pandemic strain of the coronavirus, in less than one minute to 99.99% efficacy.

As part of the military’s ongoing support to civil authorities, 50,000 bottles of the spray are being deployed to military personnel across the UK who are working alongside the NHS at coronavirus testing stations.

To help get this game-changing innovation to market, Ploughshare managed the licence to Pritchard Spray on behalf of Ministry of Defence (MOD). Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, CEO at Ploughshare, said:

“There is still much anxiety about the coronavirus, and we’re really pleased this product has made it to market in time to help improve people’s lives. It can be used in your own home and any environment, from supermarkets and gyms to taxis and care homes, where it will provide that extra level of public reassurance when they see it being used.”

VIRUSEND is also undergoing clinical evaluation at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in seven clinical environments including, A&E, Covid positive and low-risk wards, intensive care, and operating theatres. Professor David Jayne, Director of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Surgical MedTech Co-operative said:

“We are delighted to be working in collaboration with the Army and Pritchard on this project. Partnerships are the backbone of the work that we undertake in the Leeds MedTech Co-operative in Surgical Technologies in our ambition to pull novel technologies into clinical practice. If the clinical trials are successful, we hope that the technology will be made widely available to help protect our staff and patients.”

VIRUSEND is the only product available commercially in the UK for surfaces which currently meets the two key requirements of the British and European standards, BSEN:14776 and BSEN:16777.

The bottle is also environmentally friendly, it uses compressed air instead of VOC flammable gasses, the plastic spray top is re-useable and the can is fully recyclable. The bottle also uses the Pritchard Spray “Anyway Spray” innovation which allows 100% of the content to be used which reduces wastage of the product, and allows the user to use the spray any orientation, even upside down.

Mr Pritchard said:

“VIRUSEND will change the way we combat this and all future pandemics. It offers a low risk to health combined with maximum lethality, proven efficacy, compliance with the correct standards and a very short contact time.

“We want to give the UK the tools it needs to defeat coronavirus and get back on its feet as soon as possible.”

For more information, and to purchase VIRUSEND, visit www.virusend.co.uk