Vestagen bags $8.25mn financing to launch medical garments

Vestex garments are engineered to have robust liquid repellency and antimicrobial properties, along with breathability, comfort and durability. The financing was led by new investor Advent Life Sciences.  Alliance Healthcare Investment Fund also participated in the financing, along with founding investor V-Ten Capital and other private investors. Vestagen intends to use the proceeds from the financing to accelerate the commercial launch of medical scrub uniforms and other protective apparel made from its proprietary Vestex fabrics.

Contaminated clothing has been shown in multiple studies to be an important conduit of bacteria to healthcare workers, who have the highest rate of illness of any occupation in the U.S.  More than a dozen peer-reviewed studies document the contamination of clothing in healthcare facilities where there are patients infected with resistant organisms such as MRSA and C. difficile.  These difficult-to-treat organisms put healthcare workers at risk and are responsible for many of the most serious hospital acquired infections.

In a clinical study published in the Journal of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, researchers reported a statistically significant MRSA reduction of more than 99.99% on the Vestex scrubs compared to standard uniforms.  Importantly, this study illustrated that the healthcare workers wearing Vestex had lower levels of microbes present on their garments than on their hands, in contrast with the group wearing the standard scrubs, where the level of contamination on the workers’ hands and scrubs was equal.

“Healthcare workers know to wash their hands between patients, but they cannot easily change their scrubs.  We developed Vestex in response to a major unmet need for durable, comfortable, continuous-wear garments that would protect healthcare workers from the potentially dangerous contaminants they encounter on the job every day,” said Uncas “Ben” B. Favret III, president and CEO of Vestagen.

Mr. Favret continued,   “Vestex is the first medical device-based active barrier fabric specifically designed to protect healthcare workers and those with whom they come in contact.  Our proprietary fluid repellent, antimicrobial and moisture management technologies work together to prevent the acquisition and retention of microbes and other contaminants on healthcare workers’ clothing, while ensuring comfort. 

"The unique protective properties of Vestex scrub uniforms are supported with peer-reviewed clinical data, and we are in the process of filing for FDA clearance as a Class 2 medical device.  Initial acceptance by healthcare workers and institutions has been excellent.”