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For immediate release
April 7, 2008
Cupron Inc. establishes U.S. medical device HQ at Virginia BioTech Park
Geared for the war against viruses, germs and disease
Richmond, Va. – The Virginia BioTechnology Research Park recently announced its newest partner, Cupron Inc., a company with an innovative technology to help prevent the transmission of disease-causing microorganisms in a broad array of medical and consumer products. With its worldwide headquarters in Israel and a manufacturing facility in Durham, N.C., the company will locate its U.S. headquarters for medical products sales and marketing at the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park.
Cupron’s patented platform technology allows copper oxide to be permanently bound to textile fibers, nonwoven fabrics, latex and other polymeric products. While the process is highly sophisticated, implementation of the Cupron technology does not involve complicated or hazardous manufacturing methods and will last as long as the products themselves. Long recognized as a hygienic material, copper is now known to be antimicrobial, inhibiting the growth of harmful pathogens such as bacteria, molds, algae, fungi and viruses. Cupron’s technology is therefore highly applicable in settings where such pathogens exist, and it has the potential to decrease the cost associated with hospital-acquired infections.
Cupron’s products include masks, bedding, gowns, uniforms, catheters, gloves and gauze with potential applications in wound healing, and a significant list of other health care items. Cupron is pursuing numerous regulatory approval processes globally, including FDA and EPA processes in the U.S. for various products and applications.
“Widely publicized statistics from the Centers for Disease Control estimate infections acquired in U.S. hospitals affect two million individuals every year and result in nearly 100,000 deaths annually,” stated Donna Edmonds, executive director of the Virginia Biosciences Commercialization Center. “The use of copper alloys for frequently touched surfaces has far-reaching implications. We believe Cupron will play a key role in achieving the goal of reducing hospital-acquired infections”
A further important development for copper-based products is the recent announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in which they approved public claims that copper alloys are capable of killing harmful, potentially deadly bacteria. Copper is the first solid surface material to receive this type of EPA approval. “Only Cupron provides the technology to confer this protection to soft surfaces, especially textile surfaces, and other commonly used disposable items in hospitals and care facilities” explained Edmonds.
“We are excited about the potential groundbreaking applications of Cupron’s technology in the medical device field,” said Cupron CEO Jeffrey S. Gabbay. “We believe that the strategic partnership between our company and the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park will create important synergies and opportunities in this area.”
For more information on Cupron: www.cupron.com
About the Virginia Israel Biosciences Commercialization Center
In addition to the Park’s nationally recognized incubator program, the Virginia Biosciences Development Center, the newly formed VIBCC provides substantial support, experience and expertise in bringing “graduates” of Israeli incubator programs to successfully commercialize their products, making them more likely candidates for additional funding sources, business alliances and exit options. Specifically, the VIBCC assists companies in developing tailored commercialization strategies, including regulatory and reimbursement support, obtaining market validation, supporting product launch through national clinical leadership networks and assisting in the ongoing funding process, as well as formation of strategic partnerships with industry leaders.
About the Park
The Virginia BioTechnology Research Park is currently home to a unique mix of more than 55 public and private bioscience companies, research institutes affiliated with the VCU Medical Center and major state and national medical laboratories. These companies are housed in nine buildings totaling more than 1.1 million square feet of space, representing an employee base that exceeds 2,000. The VBDC is the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park’s business assistance program located in its 27,000-square-foot incubator. Since opening in 1995, 63 companies have started in the Park’s incubator facility; 31 of which have graduated into larger spaces in the Park or greater Richmond community. The Park’s Commercialization Center has been created to take incubator graduates through commercialization to M&A or IPO, giving the Park’s tenants full-scale business assistance.The Commercialization Center is now the home of eight companies from the Israeli life science community and continues to expand its resource base. It has created alliances with leading incubators in Israel. To date, the Park has graduated three companies that are now publicly traded.
About Cupron
Utilizing the ancient and unique properties of copper, Cupron has developed a groundbreaking technology for enhancing the skin’s natural healthy-appearance-promoting processes, deodorizing naturally and fighting stain-causing microbes in textile fibers, nonwoven fabrics, paper, latex and other polymeric products. By binding copper oxide to the fibers and compounds that make up everyday products, Cupron offers a broad platform technology that can enhance the capabilities of these items for the life of the product. Cupron is committed to being a green company using recycled, nonsensitizing, nonirritating and natural copper because of its environmentally friendly nature. Cupron’s copper-based technology has been proven in clinical trials, published in scientific journals and offers many potentially groundbreaking applications. Cupron maintains its headquarters and R&D center in Bet Shemesh, Israel, with sales and marketing offices in North Carolina, Virginia and various countries in Europe. For more information please visit www.cupron.com.
Contact
Nicky Colomb
Virginia BioTechnology Research Park
Phone: (804) 828-6884
E-mail: ncolomb@vabiotech.com
Web site: www.vabiotech.com
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