May 19, 2021 (Somersworth, New Hampshire)– Far-UV Sterilray™, the developer and holder of patents for methods and uses of 222 nm Far-UV technologies today announce that it has countersued Healthe Inc. for patent infringement in the United States District Court Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division, and sued Far UV Technologies for patent infringement and other torts on May 17, 2021 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
Both lawsuits allege infringement of U.S. Patent Number 8,975,605, titled “Method and apparatus for producing a high level of disinfection in air and surfaces,” and U.S. Patent Number 9,700,642, titled “Method and apparatus for producing a high level of disinfection in air and surfaces.” These patents are exclusively licensed to Far-UV Sterilray™ for methods and uses of the 222 nm wavelength for the purposes of air, surface, and liquid disinfection.
Far-UV Sterilray™ alleges that the Healthe Space™, Healthe Entry™, and Healthe Wand Pro™ products infringe the ‘605 and ‘642 patents. Far-UV Sterilray™ also alleges that Far UV’s family of Krypton-branded products infringe the same two patents. A copy of these filings can be found on Far-UV Sterilray’s web site: www.sterilray.com.
Far-UV Sterilray™ and S. Edward Neister are market leaders in the development of 222 nm technology beginning in the 1990’s. Neister’s work included inventions of methods, processes, and devices for the use of the 222 nm wavelength for purposes of air, surface, and liquid disinfection. Neister also has other patent applications pending for uses of the 222 nm wavelength including for the disinfection of human skin and eyes.
Michael Olsen, Chief Marketing Officer at Far-UV Sterilray™, states “Healthe and Far UV Technologies have both willfully and maliciously disregarded the hard work and years of development efforts in securing the IP rights to the use of 222 nm for purposes of air, surface, and liquid disinfection. We will continue to vigorously defend our patents.”
Far-UV Sterilray™ is represented in the action against Healthe, Inc. by King and Spalding, LLP and Fox Rothschild, LLP, and in the action against Far UV Technologies by King and Spalding, LLP and Pospisil Swift, LLC.
About Far-UV Sterilray™
Far-UV Sterilray™ is the world’s leading developer and manufacturer of 222 nm disinfection technologies. The Company utilizes patented 222 nm, Far-UV Sterilray™ Technology for all of its commercialized devices, deployed globally since 2007. The chemical-free technology is safe and environmentally friendly. Life in a New Light.

For Inquiries: Mike Olsen | mikeo@Sterilray.com | (603) 516-2050 |www.sterilray.com

Link to Healthe filing:
2021-03-10 [041] Answer and Counterclaims

Link to Far UV Technology filing:
[001] 2021 05 17 Complaint against Far UV

By Ian Lenahan, Fosters Daily Democrat  | Published 5:00 a.m. (ET), Dec 18, 2020

SOMERSWORTH — John Neister, president of Far-UV Sterilray™, recalls that five years ago he and his team predicted the Far-UV company’s products would be in high demand at the onset of the next pandemic.

“But we never dreamed it would be something like this,” he said.

John’s partner in the Somersworth business is his brother Ed Neister, a physicist who, he said, developed lasers for President Ronald Reagan’s “Star Wars” missile defense initiative in the 1980s. He has also worked on medical lasers for tattoo removals and discovered a high-powered, single-line ultraviolet light wavelength in 1999, according to John.

Ed Neister filed a patent for the 222nm wavelength for air, surface and liquid deactivation of pathogens in 2005. The 222nm light has higher photon energy than the conventional 254 nm wavelength often found in UVC equipment that may have detrimental risks to human health, according to John, adding it has been shown to be safe for human exposure.

Founded in 2007 by the Neister brothers, Far-UV Sterilray’s myriad of ultraviolet light-based products have garnered widespread attention as a means of killing virus particles in occupied spaces not only more effectively than higher wavelength technologies, but also in a fraction of the time.

John said that the 222nm wavelength is 10 to 1,000 times more effective than the 254nm wavelength (UVC) due to its intense photon emission: 10 to the 15 power per square centimeter per second. (That is 30,000 times the number of trees on earth).  A Far-UV Sterilray™ lamp, he said, “is literally putting out a car wash of photons” in the air and on surfaces.

“So, literally in an eighth of a second, a virus particle coming out of your mouth will be destroyed,” he added.

The 254nm wavelength, John said, alters DNA so it can’t replicate, whereas the Far-UV 222nm wavelength is a “chemical bond breaker” that breaks apart the pathogens.

Far-UV Sterilray™ products are advertised on their website as 1,000 times safer than 254nm wavelength technologies, mercury and ozone free, having over 30,000 hours of lamp life and, above all, a technological feat that destroys coronavirus particles.

“Our goal is to reduce the number of annual superbug and viral infections, reduce the number of patients suffering from these deadly infections, and reduce the burden of the billions of dollars these infections cost our healthcare system every year,” Far-UV Sterilray’s website states.

John said Far-UV Sterilray™ has seen its technologies come into high demand as COVID-19 rages on, including being contacted by some NFL teams, Boeing manufacturers and robotic companies specializing in the deactivation of pathogens in office spaces, military barracks, public transportation and hospitals.

Other notable Far-UV Sterilray™ clients include Canadian-based PCL Construction, Lahey Hospital in Burlington, Massachusetts, and Visby Medical in California.

PCL Construction partnered with Far-UV Sterilray™ to create Pure Portal, a portal of Far-UV light which rids grocery store shopping carts of COVID-19 and other viral particles with four seconds of exposure to Far-UV light at six inches away, according to John.

“Through our validation process, PCL has found that Far-UV Sterilray™ light is exponentially more effective at deactivating 99.9% of pathogens over traditional UV-C methods in a fraction of the time,” a PCL press release said, adding that concept models are being deployed to other parts of Canada and the United States.

Slated to be completed in January, the next generation lamp station in Somersworth-based Far-UV Sterilray™ lamp technology is scheduled to produce 60,000 lamps annually. That represents a drop in the bucket as to demand for millions of these lamps, according to John. “We have several major corporations that are in the process of licensing our technology to build their own lamp stations,” he said.

Sales from the first quarter of this year tallied more than the previous two years combined, he noted.

“Since the pandemic, it’s just gone through the roof as far as interest goes worldwide,” he said.

All Far-UV Sterilray™ products are manufactured in Somersworth, led by a team of about 20 employees. By the second quarter of 2021, John hopes to see the company’s team grow to between 30-40 employees, and local contracted manufacturers will help with the assembly of products in the future.

Far-UV Sterilray™ Marketing and Sales Support Specialist, Jenny Harper said, had the company’s technologies been implemented earlier on, thousands of lives could have been saved.

“If this technology was already in place before the pandemic, we would not have had to shut down our schools, our companies, or small businesses. Families would have been together at hospitals with their loved ones for major surgeries, births, and doctors’ appointments,” she said in a prepared statement.

“Production facilities could have been fully staffed. Public transpiration would have been safer. Restaurants could have full capacity again and public events like high school and college graduations wouldn’t have been canceled.”

John said he left his former career in publishing to complement his brother’s scientific prowess. Fifteen years later, Far-UV Sterilray™ is seeing painstaking efforts pay off.

“It’s gratifying to finally see 15 years of hard work come into the public eye and that we can actually save lives. That’s why Ed and I got into this,” John said.

See full Fosters Daily Democrat news article here.

Covid-19 likely to last till end-2020 at least: Experts

SINGAPORE – The number of people diagnosed with Covid-19 is growing around the world, and as the epicentre of the outbreak shifts away from China, it is unlikely that the disease will taper off like Sars did, said experts on Monday (March 9).

“The virus is here to stay until the end of the year,” said Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang, infectious diseases programme leader at the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

With the spike in cases globally, hopes that the outbreak will be over by April or May will be dashed, he said. The global number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has surpassed 100,000 and the death toll is close to 4,000.

Prof Hsu was one of four esteemed panellists who spoke to The Straits Times’ senior health correspondent Salma Khalik in an hour-long discussion, which was broadcast live on the newspaper’s social media channels.

The other three are Associate Professor Kenneth Mak, director of medical services at the Ministry of Health (MOH); Professor Leo Yee Sin, executive director of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases; and Professor Tikki Pangestu, a visiting professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and former director of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) research policy and cooperation department.

Prof Pangestu outlined three possible scenarios the world is facing:

– One, more countries will have outbreaks, including severe cases, and it would continue to be an emergency.

– Two, the virus might “disappear completely”, similar to how Sars did, said Prof Pangestu, referring to the 2003 outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome that claimed almost 800 lives globally.

– Three, the virus becomes endemic, and mankind might have to live with its continued existence, like other viruses such as the H1N1 swine flu virus.

He said: “The third scenario is what the WHO is thinking of. It’s going to become part of our daily existence.”

Prof Leo noted that scenario two – that the virus can be “pushed back” – is unlikely to happen.

The way the virus is “secreted” differs between patients with Sars and those with Covid-19.

Patients with Covid-19 tend to secrete the virus earlier, making its control difficult, she pointed out.

MOH’s Prof Mak said: “The way things are going, Covid-19 won’t go away in one to two months. So we have to be mentally prepared… and even consider it as a new normal.”

He stressed the importance of continued vigilance, and the importance of personal hygiene.

“If we fail to limit and ring-fence (those infected with the virus), that’s where numbers go up… and it will be challenging to stop it.”

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/coronavirus-covid-19-likely-to-last-till-end-2020-at-least-experts?utm_source=STSmartphone&utm_medium=share&utm_term=2020-03-09+21%3A12%3A25

Public Transportation Requires Far-UV Sterilray™ Technology

S. Edward Neister, Chief Technical Officer
High Energy Ozone LLC
May 15, 2018

World map shows flight routes from the 40 largest U.S. airports.

Image: Christos Nicolaides, Juanes Research Group

A century ago, world travel was limited and diseases were locally-based. Today, via fast-travel methods, diseases are capable of potentially developing many genome variations through high-mixing contact. Instead of humans being exposed to a few diseases with similar protein receptors, we are exposed to exponentially increasing genome variations having different binding proteins so immunity or any history of immunity is poor at best. The rate of mutations increases dramatically as more animal species around the world are exposed to new pathogens and diseases.  They have become the high-mixing sources that permit genetic transcription that becomes pathogenic to humans¹. In 1918, the Spanish Flu killed 50 million persons globally¹ in 3 waves as soldiers spread the disease by returning home. The 2009 influenza A/H1N1 pandemic and the 2012 MERS outbreak showed the impact of worldwide airline networks in spreading new and highly infectious diseases.  Our world has now moved past the linear increase of mutations and is has entered the exponential phase of growth.  This means we don’t have much time before a significant pandemic hits our world. We must act, and we must act soon.

The CDC releases information monthly on new disease discoveries. There are generally two to three each month. The worst was a few months ago regarding a viral infection that killed 80% of humans that were exposed. The current Ebola crisis in Africa has killed 700 people around a city of over 1 million. The latest antibiotic microbe, Candida aureus, has killed 50% of those infected in healthcare facilities in the US and is termed as a potential pandemic.

Last year, a number of technical articles reported that many bacterial and viral pathogens are emitted in aerosols in every exhale². They can range from a few to over 1000 per breath. Articles published as early as  the 1960’s suggested reasons for influenza and infectious diseases spikes during the Fall and Winter months. In 2006-7, two articles reviewed aerosol transmission of influenza A virus^3,4. This January 15, a new article⁵ proved that when the relative humidity (RH) drops below 25%, aerosols that humans exhale with each breath can remain airborne for over 3-6 hours.

When the RH is above 65% (Spring and Summer season), these aerosols will last less than 15 minutes in the air, significantly reducing infection availability.  This same article found through testing that the common influenza only took 3 viral particles (in a 1-micron aerosol bubble) reaching the lower part of a human lung to cause an infection. The disease was most serious if it reached the lower respiratory tract instead of impacting the intranasal area.  Most important, however, is the mention in the earlier review³ of the protein binding site (alpha 2,3) for the current H5N1 avian influenza virus. Humans have many more alpha 2,6-linked sialic acid receptor sites, making them a poor host for this virus.  But it requires just a change of 1 or 2 amino acid substitutions to become the H1N1 pandemic strain of 2018 virus, and for it to bind preferentially to an alpha 2,6 site.  When that happens, there will be little human immunity to the new virus.  This could become the start of the major pandemic we all fear, beginning during the late Fall and lasting through early Spring in just a few short years.

To implement the 2P’s of Prevention {Prepare, Prevent Potential Pandemics}, we must look at the Achilles heel of our society and how diseases spread so rapidly.  Global Public Transportation⁶ (PT) in 2017 carried 53 billion passengers, an increase of 9 billion in 5 years. In the U.S., APTA (American Public Transportation Association) says it was 38 million passengers per week or 10.1 billion in 2017.  At a 2% infection rate, Americans would get sick at a rate of almost 4 million per week, or over 32 million is just two months! Healthcare facilities would be overwhelmed. All forms of PT move people in tight quarters locally and around the world in times short enough for viral incubation without detection or symptoms. Airplanes all have low relative humidity during flight which means everyone on board is potentially inhaling aerosols from every passenger on the plane. Analysis of the commercial airliner that brought the SARS passenger to Canada in 2003 showed that people in 5 of the 7 separate plane air-flow sections became infected during the flight. To make matters worse, the United States Air Force, in a weapon of mass destruction study⁷, showed that HEPA filters do not effectively capture very tiny viral particles. The filters began to pass live viruses as soon as they were introduced into the incoming airstream.

A Google/Bing search will locate all of the articles referenced in this article that link infection of influenza and coronaviruses to public transportation. Several articles are noteworthy.  A systematic review of transportation types and their hubs was published in June 2015 in the Journal of Travel Medicine⁸. “In-flight influenza transmission was identified substantively on five flights with up to four confirmed and six suspected secondary cases per affected flight. Five studies highlighted the role of air travel in accelerating influenza spread to new areas. [They] did identify cases where influenza transmission has occurred on buses and is thought to have occurred on trains.”  The Medical University of Lublin, Poland did a study focused on airliners⁹ and stated that “Airborne diseases carry the greatest risk for the public health and are the most common in aviation, thus we will give them most attention in this study.”

During the late Fall, Winter, and early Spring months, buses, subways, and trains all experience low relative humidity. This results in all riders sharing exhalations with all the other passengers. Since infectivity of Type A virus as well as measles and TB is dependent on breathing in just a few viral particles, then most filters, paper masks, and handkerchiefs do little to protect people. A few sick people can exhale tens of thousands of viral particles in less than 30 minutes². Madagascar now faces its largest measles outbreak in history, with cases soaring well beyond 115,000 with 1200 deaths so far. Only 50% are vaccinated when the vaccination rate must be over 95% to stop the epidemic in an infected community of over 250,000 people¹⁰.

I believe that the only tools we have that are destructive enough, fast enough, and easiest to commercialize are the Far-UV Sterilray™ (222nm) lamps. These have been demonstrated to have single-pass/destroy capability, achieving destruction of over 10,000 viral particles in 1/8 second as the air passes the lamp. The Far-UV Sterilray™ wavelength ruptures the sidewall of bacteria and segment spores as well.  One of these  lamps in a commercially-available room canister will prevent all the occupants from inhaling enough measles virus from an infected person because of its single-pass/kill capability¹¹. Similarly, Far-UV Sterilray™  lamps in the ventilation system of all public transportation vehicles will provide the maximum degree of protection to all riders, and they are the only proactive means for reducing airborne bacteria and viruses as they are introduced into the air by human exhaling. An 222nm lamp on buses that completely changes the air every minute would keep the air clear of any pathogenic viruses and bacteria.

To date, public transportation companies have not shown the will or the need to install Far-UV Sterilray™  lamps, even to protect their own staff and crew. This is very similar to the seat belt issue the public faced  with automobile manufacturers years ago. None wanted to take the initiative because of cost and becoming initially uncompetitive. The U.S. government had to require seat belt additions before we the public could use their life-saving feature.  We must ask the U.S. government to begin the process of addressing the 2P’s by requiring public transportation companies to install this technology in their ventilation systems. It will take time to get this new Technology installed, but if we don’t start soon, we will all suffer greatly when (not if) the big pandemic hits.  Please watch Bill Gates’ video on YouTube¹², and then let your Senators and Representatives know that you insist that they immediately pass legislation to implement Prepare, Prevent Potential Pandemics.

1:      Google/Bing and download the CDC article – ‘1918-pandemic-webinar’

2:      Viable influenza A virus in airborne particles…; NIH, ‘www.influnzajournal.com’; 2016 W.G. Lindsley et.al.:  Bacterial pathogens were detected…;Jour Aerosol Science; Vol 117, March 2018, pg 224-234:  Infectious virus in exhaled breath…; PNAS.org, Jan 30, 2018, vol 15, #5, 1081-1086: Molecular and Microscopic Analysis of Bacteria and Viruses in exhaled breath….; Plosone.org, July 2012, Vol 7, Issue 7, er1137

3:      Review of Aerosol Transmission of Influenza A virus; R. Tellier, Emerging Infectious Diseases, www.cdc.gov/eid . Vol 12, #11, Nov. 2006

4:      Influenza Seasonality: Underlying Causes and Modeling Theories; E. Lofgren et.al.; Jour Firology, June 2007, p. 5429-5436.

5:      Mechanistic insights into the effect of humidity on airborne influenza virus, transmission and incidence; L. C. Marr et al.; J.R. Soc. Interface 16; 20180298; Jan. 2019.

6:      www.citylab.com/transportation/2018/09/ the-global-mass-transit-revolution/570883; Sept 20, 2018

7:      Viral Penetration of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filters; 2007 Air Force Research Laboratory; AFRL-ML-TY-TP-2007-4512

8:      The roles of transportation and transportation hubs in the propagation of influenza and coronaviruses: a systematic review; A. Browne et. al; Journal of Travel Medicine, June 2015, 23(1)

9:      Air transport and the spread of infectious diseases; World Scientific News, 76(2017)p. 123-135

10:    see Critical Community Size, Epidemiology – Measles on Wikipedia

11:    Requires a complete room volumetric air exchange of at least 6 times per hour.

12:    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bill+gates+pandemic

Z:      Google ‘Follow the (climate change) money’; Heritage Foundation (reference on Pandemic article)

In the news: “ UV Light Could Zap Flu Pandemics Before They Start”

The Columbia University Study again confirming the effectiveness and safety parameters of our patented wavelength (222nm) referred to by Columbia as Far-UVC.

These results confirm studies that we have been doing for the last 12 years. We have patented 222nm for air, liquid and surface disinfection.

Our patents cover all forms of skin and eye disinfection. We are in the process of getting FDA approval for a number of applications.

We call this wavelength Far-UV Sterilray.

It’s estimated businesses lose $159 billion each year in lost production and sick leave. But with the proper Far-UV Sterilray devices that we have now available, you can help protect hospitals biggest assets and their patients.

I’d like to invite you to visit our website (www.sterilray.com) and review all of our solution options that could help NOW during this Flu season.

Our patented Far-UV wavelength will be taking over the disinfecting industry. We are more effective, we are faster, we are safer.

Our Autonomous Disinfection Robot will change the way operating rooms are disinfected.

Far-UV Sterilray technology can disinfect conveyor belts, production lines, the air in HVAC systems in the largest buildings and in Residential homes. We can disinfect the air and remove the odor in Cannabis grows. Other applications include restaurants, trains, planes, and autonomous vehicles. The applications for dry, chemical-free disinfection are endless.

Contact us to use Far-UV Sterilray lamps in your product or facility.

We supplied Far-UV Sterilray lamps for Boeing for their self-cleaning lavatory project.

http://www.boeing.com/features/2016/03/self-clean-lavatory-03-16.page