Following the accomplished work listed above, a key point of the feasibility study has been to identify the most important tasks for delivering a minimum viable product (MVP) which would fulfil SymbiCoat’s product specifications for the specific use-case scenario. The biocide coating polymer will be produced, tested and optimized under real manufacturing conditions in order to achieve a marketable product. The previous development, carried out in Exigence’s laboratory, has been focused on the characterization of microbial characteristics for internal lab-grade efficacy, toxicology and recharge testing. The activities of the Exigence’s project within the feasibility study covered the assessment of the partner on-site manufacturing conditions, including the characterization of existing microbial populations and the specification of the end-users coating requirements for product integration. The MVP specifications have been assessed not only on the basis of users’ requirements, and the company capabilities to pursue the best route for the go-to market application, but also on the evaluation of costs related to performing incremental manufacturing process as a successful industrialization plan would require. In fact, some types of antimicrobial surface functionalization require multiple complex steps in the treatment process, which add undue time and cost to the final product. This is why Exigence during the feasibility study has focused on creating an attainable product roadmap for a rapid and broadly applicable coating process that is effective, durable, stable, and only requires 3-4 minutes of processing.
Value Proposition: SymbiCoat solves the main issues associated with biocide industry for food applications, such as performance (efficacy/time), duration and sustainability and bringing benefits to the the entire food supply chain.
- Value for equipment manufacturers (primary clients): Easy and universal product integration. Symbicoat new coating technology allows simple spray application of the active agent on multiple surfaces in the food processing facilities, including food contact surfaces, walls, floors, and especially hard-to reach areas that harbor pathogens. SymbiCoat’s versatility opens new possibilities in engineering controls for industrial food processing equipment manufacturers. They can provide a strong solution for hygiene & prevention of cross contamination, succeeding in the attempt to meet customers’ requirments on food safety, while avoiding the burden to design and produce better solutions for clean-in-place procedures.
- Value for food processors (end-users): Unparalleled efficacy. SymbiCoat demonstrates unparalleled kill rate of any germ, virus and fungus at a contact time of less than 15 minutes (99.9999% vs 99,9% in 1H of Silver, leading competitive biocide), and achieving higher efficacy with lower levels of its active ingredient (10 X increase in kill kinetics with 10X less active ingredient loading required compared to Silver). Furthermore, the new coating provides durable (>100 life cycles) and easily renewable protection against a broad spectrum of microbes. Applied on the food processing equipment, SymbiCoat could make the difference between a food recall or no recall at all for the food company. This will save tens of millions of dollars in direct costs to replace spoiled food, but much more improves brand reputation and consumer confidence.
- Value for the distributors: Easly scalable solution. Distributor can quote any project from a limited coating purchase in a single small food processing company to a large industrial food manufacturing plant, meaning a higher market share and additional revenues. Any order can be scaled up on demand even long after the initial coating application, without having to discard the initial components. Full scalability with only one product means distributors do not have to store a large number of different components, which is less capital tied in the inventory.
- Value for the environment: No leaching toxic profile. SymbiCoat’s polymer attracts and arrest microbes on the treated surface, forcing contact with its bound active ingredient. Thus, no antimicrobial substance leaches out, avoiding any kind of environmental contamination and hazard. Moreover the coating product breaks down to salt & water and won’t accumulate in the surrounding media/environment.
- Value for the society: No AMR alarm. Unlike every non-oxidizing form of antimicrobial technology which can be adhered to a surface, such as silver, organic compounds and QACs, SymbiCoat does not induce resistance in bacteria. This will allow a great alleviation on societal resources spent to address the health and economic burden of AMR. Therefore, SymbiCoat has the potential to fundamentally change the sanitation paradigm in food production and processing by providing an effective and non-alarming treatment for a significant unmet market need.
