Enzyme-enhanced fabrics that inactivate pathogens

Abstract

The invention provides fabrics that incorporate enzymes that inactivate microbial pathogens, particularly enveloped viral particles such as those of Influenza virus and Coronavirus such as Covid-19. The fabrics of the invention may be used in the production of various items including protective facemasks.

1 . An item of disposable protective equipment, comprising at least two layers of fabric, wherein one layer of fabric has enzymes stably incorporated within it, wherein the enzymes explicitly exclude enzymes that bind specifically to the spike protein of a coronavirus, and comprise low-temperature proteases and low-temperature lipases, which enzymes are functionally active at a temperature between 17° C. to 23° C., and wherein, the fabric layer that has enzymes incorporated within it is separated from the body of the wearer by at least one other layer of fabric that does not have enzymes incorporated within it wherein the enzymes inactivate a pathogen carried in an aqueous droplet upon contact with the fabric, wherein the inactivation time T 75  is less than 30 minutes. 
     
     
         2 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 1  selected from the group consisting of masks, gowns, overshoes and head-coverings, clothes and bed linens. 
     
     
         3 . The disposable face mask of  claim 1  wherein the proteases comprise a non-specific protease, stable and active in the presence of lipases, and the lipases are stable and active in the presence of proteases and are functionally active at a temperature between 17° C. to 23° C. and wherein the inactivation value T 75  is less than 30 minutes. 
     
     
         4 . The disposable face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the proteases comprise at least one of Serine proteases, Cysteine proteases, Aspartic proteases and Metalloproteases, Thiol proteases, metalloproteases, Trypsin, Chymotrypsin, Endoproteinase Asp-N, Endoproteinase Arg-C, Endoproteinase Glu-C, Endoproteinase Lys-C, Thermolysin, Elastase, Papain, Proteinase K, Subtilisin, Clostripain, Exopeptidase, Carboxypeptidase A, Carboxypeptidase P, Carboxypeptidase Y, Cathepsin C, Acylamino-acid-releasing enzyme, and Pyroglutamate aminopeptidase. 
     
     
         5 . The disposable face mask of  claim 1 , wherein the lipases comprise Cold active lipases (CLPs). 
     
     
         6 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 1  wherein the fabric layer that has enzymes incorporated within it is functionalized. 
     
     
         7 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 6  wherein the said functionalization enhances the stability of the incorporation of the enzymes within it. 
     
     
         8 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 6  wherein said functionalization is performed by ozonation treatment using a plasma. 
     
     
         9 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 6  wherein said functionalization is performed by Corona treatment. 
     
     
         10 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 6  wherein the fabric layer that has enzymes incorporated is functionalized such that —OH groups are added to the material and are available for binding to enzymes. 
     
     
         11 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 6  wherein said functionalization is performed by exposing the fabric to allylamine gas such that amine groups are added to the material providing a positive charge. 
     
     
         12 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 6  wherein the enzymes are covalently bound to the fabric layer. 
     
     
         13 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 6  wherein the enzymes are non-covalently bound to the fabric layer. 
     
     
         14 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 1  wherein the pathogen is selected from the group consisting of an enveloped virus, a gram positive bacterium or a prion 
     
     
         15 . The item of disposable protective equipment of  claim 1  wherein the fabrics are biodegradable.