by, Lauren Hatch (posted on July 7, 2010)
A Hand Sanitizer You Only Apply Once a Day

Prefense
Jim Patchett, Dr. Bill Peterson, Aaron Powers, and David Reusswig

Washing your hands is a chore. And alcohol-based sanitizers such as Purell don’t last long enough. That’s the pitch from the folks behind Prefenz Botanicals, a cleaner that retains its potency for 24 hours and through multiple hand-washings. Founders Aaron Powers, Dave Reusswig, Jim Patchett, and Dr. Bill Peterson, the technology’s patent-holder, say what sets Prefenz apart is a silica compound that attaches to the outside of the washer’s hands, forming microscopic needle-shaped structures that kill germs by rupturing their cells. The four friends founded the St. Charles (Ill.)-based business three years ago, using $500,000 of their own money and drawing on their backgrounds in related industries. Since launching the product last fall, they’ve raised $1.2 million from friends, family, and private investors. Available for $7 at Whole Foods (WFMI) and REI stores across the country, Powers expects Target (TGT) and 10 other big retailers to sell it by yearend. He says 18-employee Prefense had $400,000 in revenue in 2009 and projects $1.6 million to $2.5 million in 2010. Powers, who also heads water-treatment company Bioquatic Technologies, this fall plans to license the silica technology to multinationals that make household cleaners and sanitizers. He expects Prefenz to receive FDA approval by 2011, allowing him to sell it to regulated industrial and medical markets.

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