Antimicrobial Properties of a Recently Patented Formulation

Antimicrobial Properties of a Recently Patented Formulation

The threat posed by bacteria to human health is more unique today than ever. Multiple drug resistant strains of bacterial pathogens are quite common and lurk in a plethora of environments. To prevent transmission of these microbes, numerous hand gels, primarily alcohol based, have been designed to kill transient flora acquired through fomites. Because of the need for a more rapid and sustained microbial killing of certain exposed surfaces, an antimicrobial formulation has been developed that relies on short chain surfactants. We sought to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of this formulation on known surrogates of clinical significance. Bacteria or B. subtilis spores, were suspended in either phosphate buffered saline or Third Stream Bioscience (TSB) antimicrobial at a 1X or 2X concentration. In vitro antimicrobial activity was evaluated by the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion assay and the microbroth dilution technique at several time points. All microbroth test bacteria were reduced by at least four logs after a 2 minute exposure to the formulation. The mycobacteriocidal activity of this novel product will have significant public health benefits in the control of Mycobacterial diseases. Preliminary assays showed that the tested formulation is non-sporicidal. Subsequent studies will guide the formulation of sporicidal versions of the product and determine their mechanisms of action. Ultimately, the TSB antimicrobial was shown to be a highly effective antibacterial agent.