Antimicrobial Composition with Alkane Diol for Rapid Log-Kill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current antimicrobial products for healthcare settings lack rapid, broad-spectrum efficacy against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and viruses, failing to meet the requirements of the FDA Tentative Final Monograph for Healthcare Antiseptic Drug Products and European norms, particularly in hand wash and skin disinfection applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an antimicrobial composition comprising at least 50 wt.% of a C1-6 alcohol and an efficacy-enhancing amount of a C6-10 alkane diol, which can be formulated as a foamable, gel, or wipe, providing enhanced antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of microorganisms without the need for auxiliary antimicrobial agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If preservatives are used to inhibit microbial growth, then microbial inhibition is achieved, but rapid efficacy and significant log kill of existing microbes are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the concentration parameter by using high levels of alkane diols (6-12 carbon atoms) as the primary antimicrobial agent rather than traditional low-concentration preservative blends. This parameter change transforms the product from slow-acting preservative function to rapid-acting antimicrobial disinfection, achieving both microbial inhibition and rapid log-kill efficacy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite antimicrobial system by combining alkane diols with tropolone, where the alkane diol serves as both solvent and antimicrobial agent. This composite approach synergistically enhances rapid bactericidal and fungicidal activity while maintaining microbial inhibition, resolving the contradiction between speed and reliability
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional preservative blends are used, then broad spectrum activity is achieved, but rapid fungicidal and bactericidal efficacy is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter by using high-concentration alkane diols (6-12 carbons) as the primary active ingredient instead of traditional preservative blends. This parameter change enables the formulation to achieve rapid fungicidal and bactericidal activity while maintaining broad-spectrum coverage against multiple microorganism types
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts the molecular structure characteristics of effective antimicrobial agents (alkane diols with 6-12 carbons) and utilizes them directly at high concentrations, copying the successful structural features known to provide rapid antimicrobial action while maintaining broad-spectrum activity through the specific carbon chain length range
3Speed
If high concentration of alcohol is used for rapid antimicrobial action, then rapid efficacy is achieved, but formulation stability and skin compatibility may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a stable composite formulation by combining high-concentration alcohol with alkane diols (6-12 carbons) and tropolone. The alkane diol component stabilizes the high-alcohol formulation while maintaining rapid antimicrobial action, and the tropolone addition further enhances formulation stability and broad-spectrum efficacy without compromising skin compatibility
Data Source
AI summary
A method for rapid surface sanitization is provided, where the method includes contacting the surface with an effective amount of an antimicrobial composition comprising at least about 50 wt. % of a C1-6 alcohol, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition; and an efficacy-enhancing amount of a C1-10 alkane diol.