NIOSH established an expedited review and approval process to meet the nation's increased need for respiratory protection
The VDI-100 N95 respirator - NIOSH approval TC-84A-PH06. (Credit: PRNewswire / ViruDefense, Inc)
Baril and ViruDefense announced that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has granted limited, temporary approval of the ViruDefense model VDI-100 air-purifying filtering facepiece respirator for use during the Covid-19 pandemic.
NIOSH established an expedited review and approval process to meet the nation’s increased need for respiratory protection. The VDI-100 protects against particulates at N95 filter efficiency level and has been tested by both NIOSH and independent labs and meets all standards. The VDI-100 N95 uses a flat-fold mask design which differs from the commonly used cone-shaped N95.
The VDI-100 mask is manufactured at Baril Corporation in Haverhill, Massachusetts, from high-quality US-sourced materials. Initial production capacity is approximately 165,000 N95 masks per week. Baril and ViruDefense have been collaborating since the early phase of the pandemic to develop an N95 respirator mask which combines filtration capabilities of an N95 respirator with the fluid resistance of a surgical mask.
ViruDefense received grant funding from the Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (M-ERT), a coordinated effort spearheaded by the Baker-Polito Administration to address the urgent need for PPE to support Massachusetts’ COVID-19 response. The state award will help the company launch a second manufacturing line, which will allow for a doubling of N95 production to a weekly capacity in excess of 330,000 by the end of August, ramping up to 450,000 a week by the end of September.
“Our 40+ years of experience in bringing high quality medical and other products to the market allowed us to move quickly after the first signs of the pandemic in the US. We are one of the first in the US to introduce a new N95 respirator during this pandemic,” said Dan Baril, CEO, Baril Corporation.
“We are pleased to help address the shortage of PPE for our health care workers during this public health emergency. Our VDI-100 N95 respirator combines N95 filtration with a moderate seal to achieve a higher level of airway protection that can be achieved with a surgical mask. Many frontline workers deserve higher airway protection than a surgical mask can provide,” said Pieter Muntendam, MD, Founder of ViruDefense, Inc.
“This pandemic has demonstrated the critical importance of flexible, high quality, homegrown manufacturing, and we have witnessed manufacturers across Massachusetts pivoting and expanding their operations to support the public health response to COVID-19,” said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy, who also serves as co-chair of the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC). “Our administration is proud to support companies like ViruDefense and Baril Corporation through the Manufacturing Emergency Response Team as we continue to fight the spread, progress through reopening, and plan for the future.”
Source: Company Press Release