Sonovia Says Lab Tests Show Antiviral Masks Neutralize Over 90% Of Coronavirus

Israeli startup Sonovia Ltd, the developer of anti-pathogen, anti-bacterial fabric and textiles, says lab tests have shown that the company’s face masks can neutralize over 90 percent of the coronavirus.

Recent tests in the Microspectrum lab (Weipu Jishu) in Shanghai confirm that the patented, anti-viral fabric is effective against the novel coronavirus, Sonovia said on Monday.

“We already knew that our technology is virus-neutralizing. About a month ago, we received confirmation of 99.9 percent resistance to a virus similar in structure to the COVID-19 family and today we received the first proof of effectiveness against the novel coronavirus itself. This is another significant milestone for the company,” said Dr. Liat Goldhammer, Sonovia’s chief technology officer.

Shanghai’s Weipu Jishu lab has strong connections to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and many of the best universities in Shanghai, Sonovia said.

The tests in China were performed in accordance with the international standard for determining anti-viral activity of textile products, Sonovia said in a statement.

They follow a test on the material at Austria’s HygCen medical lab using the Vaccinia virus conducted last month, which has similar properties to the SARS-COVID family, and showed “a good virucidal effect”, according to the lab report.

Dr. Jason Migdal, the company’s Microbio R&D strategist, says Sonovia is also awaiting a “significant series of tests in a German government-certified laboratory for the final mask development,” he said.

Sonovia’s tech is a novel, ultrasound-based, antimicrobial coating applied to fabric and textiles. The technology mechanically infuses metal-oxide nanoparticles onto textiles during an ultrasonic-assisted impregnation process with the specialized chemical compound turning the textiles into highly effective blocks against bacteria and fungi, the company says.

Based in Ramat Gan, the patented technology that Sonovia aims to commercialize was originally developed as a bacteria-fighting nanoparticle finishing technology by Israeli scientists at Bar Ilan University.

In February, Sonovia sent samples of its fabric to two medical labs in China – the Shanghai branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a medical lab in Chengdu and was awaiting results on whether its tech is effective against the virus. Dr. Migdal told NoCamels at the time that additional fabric samples were sent to Singapore for testing in late February.

Healthcare facilities in the northern Israeli city of Nahariya were among the first in Israel to receive a shipment of hundreds of reusable antimicrobial facemasks treated with the company’s tech in April.

The company said that the Israel Police also received a supply of masks after the protective gear requirements set by the police were met. Sonovia has also donated masks to essential workers at Shufersal, Israel’s largest supermarket chain, as well as to non-profit aid organization Latet to send to those who need them, the company said.

Sonovia fabrics are to be used in many applications, including textiles for hospitals, protective equipment, sports clothing, other apparel, and textiles in vehicles and public transport

Sonovia is conducting a pilot at Adler Plastic in Italy to use its fabric in vehicles and public transport and is selling its masks online to retail consumers.

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