KluraLabs Raises £1.6M to Develop Antimicrobial Surface Coatings for High-Touch Environments

KluraLabs, a UK materials science company, has raised £1.6 million to develop and commercialise its antimicrobial coating technology. The company has created a surface coating that protects treated surfaces against a broad range of pathogenic microbes and viruses — killing or inactivating bacteria, fungi, and viruses that land on coated surfaces rather than merely preventing initial adhesion — with potential applications across healthcare, food production, public transport, hospitality, and any environment where pathogen transmission on surfaces poses a health risk.

Surface transmission — the spread of pathogens via contaminated surfaces — is a recognised route for a range of infections, from healthcare-associated infections caused by bacteria such as MRSA and Clostridioides difficile to respiratory viruses that survive on surfaces for hours or days. In healthcare settings, surface contamination is a significant contributor to hospital-acquired infection, one of the most costly and preventable sources of patient harm. In food production, surface contamination is a leading cause of product recalls and food safety incidents. In public transport and hospitality, concerns about pathogen transmission were dramatically amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and remain a factor in customer confidence and staff safety.

Conventional cleaning and disinfection — applying liquid disinfectants to surfaces — provides protection that decays rapidly as disinfectant residue degrades and new contamination occurs. Antimicrobial coatings offer persistent protection: once applied to a surface, the coating continues to act against pathogens for an extended period — months or years depending on the formulation — providing a continuous layer of protection that supplements rather than replaces regular cleaning. This makes coatings particularly valuable in high-touch locations that are difficult to clean frequently: door handles, handrails, equipment controls, and surfaces in the direct patient contact zone in clinical settings.

The funding will support the development of the coating formulation, safety and efficacy testing, regulatory compliance work, and the commercial partnerships with healthcare, food production, and facilities management organisations that will drive market adoption.

Sources

• KluraLabs — company website