09.05.2009

Mexican health ministry asks LANXESS for support to combat swine flu

Leverkusen – German specialty chemicals group LANXESS is working with a commission from the Mexican health ministry to provide possible solutions to the swine flu outbreak that has swept through Mexico, with cases currently reported in many other countries worldwide. The company is providing technical information and efficacy studies on its Preventol® CD 601 disinfectant as a possible solution to the problem.

The Preventol® CD 601 disinfectant offers a unique combination of three active ingredients that combine to form a product with very good bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal effectiveness, and has been proven to be highly effective in combating enveloped viruses like the H5N1 avian flu virus. It has been determined that the virus strain responsible for the swine influenza is A (H1N1), which belongs to the family Orthomixoviridae, the same family as the avian flu.

“LANXESS will work hand-in-hand with the Mexican authorities to provide the highest standards of hygiene needed to combat the outbreak,” said Sébastien Masson, Managing Director of LANXESS, S.A. de C.V., in Mexico.

LANXESS is currently conducting laboratory testing to determine the Preventol® CD 601 disinfectant’s effectiveness on this specific virus strain, and the recommended dosages. Testing is expected to be completed shortly, and if found to be effective, the product will be considered for use as a surface disinfectant in hospitals, schools, offices and other public facilities in Mexico. The product meets the applicable regulations for farm hygiene and public facilities in Mexico, and is registered for use in many other countries. LANXESS has treated all surfaces at its offices and sites in Mexico with Preventol® CD 601.

“The Preventol® CD 601 product can effectively combat germs, bacteria and viruses in places, where hygiene is critical,” said Dietmar Schlegel, Head of Marketing Disinfection, LANXESS Material Protection Products business unit. “The product has not only proven effective against the avian flu virus in 2006 but is also expected to help reduce the dangers of the current swine flu virus in public places and healthcare facilities.”

Other products that have proven successful for many years in professional disinfection are the phenolic derivatives Preventol® O extra, Preventol® CMK and Preventol® BP. In addition, Preventol® SB is the leading active ingredient in antibacterial soaps.

The Material Protection Products business unit (MPP) markets a wide range of preservatives and biocides for almost all sectors of industry, including wood protection, paints and coatings, construction, health and personal care products, and the food industry. MPP belongs to LANXESS’s Performance Chemicals segment, which achieved sales of EUR 1.93 billion in 2008.