Co-Mask Anti-Viral (COVID-19) Properties Confirmed

RNS Number : 9772V

Directa Plus PLC

13 August 2020

 

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13 August 2020

Directa Plus plc

("Directa Plus" or the "Company")

Strong Anti-Viral (COVID-19) Properties Confirmed for Co-Mask™

Directa Plus (AIM: DCTA), a leading producer and supplier of graphene nanoplatelets based products for use in consumer and industrial markets, announces that its G+® graphene enhanced facemask, Co-mask™, has been confirmed as having strong anti-viral properties by a team at the Department of Neuroscience, Catholic University of Rome, operating in conjunction with the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

The team, under Professor Massimiliano Papi, tested G+® enhanced fabrics with SARS-CoV-2, the strain of coronavirus that causes the respiratory illness responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The preliminary results show that the G+® graphene can improve textile properties and significantly reduce the measured incidence of SARS-CoV-2 when the virus is deposited or filtered through functionalised cotton or a non-woven fabric (polyurethane).  A scientific paper containing the full details of the trial and the results is underway and is expected to be published shortly.  

The Company's Co-mask™ range of G+® enhanced masks is designed to be suitable for use by commuters, in the workplace, and for sport and exercise.  The masks offer an optimum balance between breathability and filtration efficiency and thanks to the use of G+® are a natural and environmentally sustainable solution. The masks are washable at least 50 times, providing material cost benefits and, in addition to being strongly anti-bacterial, they have now been confirmed as having anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties.  The Company's range was launched in June and is available for retail sale at a dedicated website: https://graphene-plus.com/

Commenting, Giulio Cesareo, Founder and CEO of Directa Plus, said: "I would like to congratulate Professor Papi and his team on the first research project to test G+® graphene enhanced fabrics for their anti-viral qualities and, importantly, their ability to significantly reduce occurrence of SARS-CoV-2.  I am also pleased that the team has verified the anti-bacterial properties of graphene enhanced fabrics, which are essential for the prolonged use of masks.

"These preliminary results confirm that the application of our technology can significantly enhance facemask efficacy and can help to reduce the spreading of SARS-CoV-2.  Our G+® graphene solutions are non-toxic and environmentally sustainable, overcoming the health and other problems associated with current ion-metal or halogen treatments.  The Company is now in early stage discussions with possible commercial partners for this application."

For further information please visit http://www.directa-plus.com/ or contact:

Directa Plus plc	[phone]
Giulio Cesareo, CEO
Marco Ferrari, CFO
Cenkos Securities plc (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)	[phone]
Neil McDonald Pete Lynch
N+1 Singer (Joint Broker)	[phone]
Mark Taylor
Tavistock (Financial PR and IR)	[phone]
Simon Hudson, Edward Lee

About Directa Plus

Our focus is principally on the two sectors in which we have strong commercial advantage through developed and launched products and a technological lead: environmental (based on our Grafysorber® product) and textiles (based on our G+ products).  In addition, we will continue to pursue opportunities in elastomers and composites (including tyres and asphalt), also using our G+ products.  All our products are hypoallergenic, non-toxic and sustainably produced.

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