Pune-based start-up Weinnovate Biosolutions has developed a hand sanitiser from silver nanoparticles. It has completed Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) approved clinical trial for the hand sanitiser and demonstrated high efficiency in killing viruses. The technology operates on the ability of the silver nanoparticles to prevent the synthesis of viral negative-strand RNA and viral budding.

Weinnovate Biosolutions was supported by CAWACH 2020 grant of the National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and incubated at Entrepreneurship Development Centre (Venture Centre), Pune.

“We are confident of the study outcomes and waiting to get the license for our hand sanitiser formulation from CDSCO, India. We are sure that such innovation will push India towards its 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' mission and make India a self-sustained nation to face such pandemics in future”, said Dr Anupama Engineer, Co-founder and COO, WeinnovateBiosolutions.

Silver nanoparticles are an effective antiviral that acts against many deadly viruses like HIV, Hepatitis B, Herpes simplex virus, Influenza virus, and so on. Recent reports have suggested the role of Glutathione capped-Ag2S NCs (Silver nanoclusters) in inhibiting the proliferation of Coronavirus by preventing the synthesis of viral negative-strand RNA and viral budding. The colloidal silver on which the technology of the sanitisers of Weinnovate Biosolutions is based can help arrest COVID-19 spread by blocking the RNA replication and infectivity by blocking the surface glycoproteins.

A study to evaluate the efficacy of hand sanitiser on different types of viruses is also currently underway by the group.