TiFiber Enters Licensing Agreement with World's Top Maker of Bar Soaps

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Mike Rutherford, TiFiber's chief scientist, displays a few of the bar soap samples recently produced in cooperation with scientists at Bradford Soap Works.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — TiFiber Inc. has announced an exclusive license with the world’s leading manufacturer of bar soaps to commercialize synthetic, antimicrobial polymers that could replace the antibacterial agent triclosan.

Launched in 2010, TiFiber develops and sells high performance materials and products for control of dangerous or detrimental microorganisms. TiFiber is headquartered at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park, which is managed by the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation.

The antimicrobial polymer compounds, which are licensed from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, quickly kill bacteria and contain no metals or halogens. Because the antimicrobial polymer technology kills both physically and metabolically, there is a very low probability of microorganisms forming resistance.

There has been growing concern in the United States for several years about the use of anti-bacterial soaps, body washes, and other products because a large number of these products contain either triclosan or triclocarban as the active ingredient.

Due to these concerns, two federal agencies — the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency — are collaborating to review the long-term effects of triclosan and update its assessment on human and environmental health. The drug administration’s focus is on the regular use of hand soaps and body washes containing triclosan.

TiFiber established a co-development agreement with Rhode Island-based Bradford Soap Works for use of TiFiber’s antimicrobial polymer formulation in bar soap products. Founded in 1876, Bradford Soap Works is the world’s leading manufacturer of bar soaps, and offers a broad range of liquid soaps, lotions, specialty chemicals, and bath accessories. Bradford’s development laboratories provide custom formulations, product development, and testing services.

“We are pleased to have one of the most established, innovative soap companies in the United States working with us to bring safe, effective antimicrobial products to market,” said Mike Rutherford, TiFiber’s chief scientist. “We believe we are just beginning to discover the major, positive impacts TiFiber’s antimicrobial polymers can have to improve the safety and efficacy of products all of us use every day. Bradford’s proactive, scientific approach is exactly what we were seeking in a development partner.”

Potential uses of TiFiber’s antimicrobial polymer technology include soaps, wound care, medical devices, cosmetic preservatives, dental composites, textiles, surgical hand cleaners, antimicrobial plastic additives, and anti-static additive. Initial development work has been supported by a combination of private investment and economic development incentives from the state of Arkansas.

TiFiber’s core technology, which has yet to be commercialized, stems from an invention of Ryan Tian, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Arkansas. The patent is assigned to the University of Arkansas Technology Development Foundation, which issued the exclusive license to TiFiber to further develop the technology.

“TiFiber has a bright future and the likelihood of creating numerous science and engineering jobs in Arkansas,” said Calvin Goforth, interim chief executive officer of TiFiber. “Financing and tax credits available from the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority, the Arkansas Development Finance Authority, and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, that are targeted to help create these types of jobs in Arkansas, played a critical role in the launch of TiFiber and the rapid progress the company has already made.”

TiFiber is a portfolio company of VIC Technology Venture Development, a privately held firm based at the Innovation Center at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park.