Covid: a “filtering and decontaminating” mask designed by a French startup in partnership with scientists

Picture this, a protective mask that can filter the air, decontaminate viruses likely found in aerosols such as Covid-19 and its variants, for instance. Now, this dream has come true: company BioSerenity – mask-maker for Santé Publique France – has announced this Tuesday February 16, 2021 they have come up with the first “filtering and decontaminating” mask to fight against the spread of coronavirus.

In concrete words, by using a virus “killing” layer of fabric, the French startup has met this result, said to be groundbreaking. During a press conference, the startup director general, Marc Fouin, says this face mask “can block and kill viruses” found in aerosols, all these solid or liquid particulates.

Découvrez les différentes couches du masque CIDALTEX® de @BioSerenity en vidéo/3D #masques #virus #covid #covid19 #CIDALTEX #Bioserenity #FFP #Médical pic.twitter.com/qS4Z4Suqou

— Sérénité Protection 😷 🇫🇷 (@SereniteProtect) February 16, 2021

Tweet reads: “Discover the different layers of CIDALTEX® mask by BioSerenity in 3D”

Technically speaking, the mask is made of four layers of fabric. One of them can filter all viruses, with “physical principle and chemical blocking principle” the company says. A process enabled by the use of two molecules, cyclodextrin and quaternary ammonium, as confirmed to AFP by Gaétan Gerber from the startup’s Research and Development unit.

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After months of tests, the mask is said to be able to reduced viruses in aerosols by 99.9% in under five minutes. Lille Pharmacy University lecturer and INSERM scientist Nicolas Blanchemain says this new mask “will work on variants”.

For the time being, the mask promised by BioSerenity is labelled CE for the FFP2 version. It can be ordered since Tuesday February 16, 2021 as well. Yet, the “surgical” version will be approved or not on February 22, 2021, and if approved, will be made available for order. A “made in France” mask manufactured in Troyes in the Cidaltex factories.

In their research, BioSerenity have been able to rely on work and support from searchers from the Lille University Hospital, as well as experts from the INSERM and the CNRS, two French study centers.