SBIR Phase I: A multi-armed and customizable polymer adhesive for expending lifetimes of active ingredients in topical products

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will develop a new solution to help prevent insect-borne diseases, such as malaria, Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. Over half the world's population is at risk of contracting an insect-borne disease, and the global mosquito repellent market is expected to grow to $11 billion by 2021. Use of personal repellents is a promising solution to prevent insect-borne diseases, but challenges include adherence because products may only be effective for a few hours (and less when rubbed or washed off). The proposed technology is a material to serve as a platform for insect repellents in a costly and effective fashion. The proposed material enables ultra-long-lasting efficacy and will be customizable, waterproof, not absorbed into the bloodstream, and imperceptible to the touch when applied to the skin. The technology could be extended to other applications, such as antimicrobial use and sunscreen. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a platform technology to extend the life of functional skin products. Phase I aims are to: 1) Optimize a skin formulation for repelling insects with performance goals: 99%+ efficacy for at least 3 days, waterproof, not absorbed into the bloodstream, containing zero synthetic repellents, and imperceptible to touch when applied to skin; 2) Explore the parameter space for manufacturing the polymer and insect repellent formulation at scale; 3) Conduct testing to determine efficacy of the insect repellent formulation compared to a reference formulation; 4) Demonstrate extended life of a variety of active ingredients for utilization in topical sunscreen and antimicrobial products. Phase I work will establish feasibility of the proposed platform, while meeting a recognized need in the area of protection from vector-borne illnesses. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.