Malaysian firm to produce Vystar's Vytex non-allergic latex

Atlanta, Georgia - A Malaysian rubber manufacturer has agreed to produce Vystar Corp's ''safe'' latex, Vytex.

Revertex Malaysia, a division British speciality chemical producer Yule Catto, is one of the world's largest producers of pre-vulcanised rubber latices and post-vulcanisable latex compounds.

Vystar president William Doyle said production of Vytex was planned to be scaled up by the start of next year and hoped the latex product would hit the market sometime in 2007.

Vytex is a natural rubber latex that is designed to not be allergic because the antigenic proteins that trigger allergic reactions have been deactivated through a process of quasi-sequestration.

According to Vystar scientists, this method alters the stereochemistry of the protein structures, thus reducing the ability to generate an immune response.

Doyle said that healthcare workers and organisations that had avoided natural rubber products out of a fear of allergic reactions would now have an alternative.

"We're particularly excited about the fact that Revertex will be the first to produce Vytex commercially,'' Travis Honeycutt, Vystar CEO and inventor of Vytex, said.

''Revertex is known for its expertise in producing some of the most stable latex compounds. In addition, it supplies many of the types of manufacturers that are waiting to introduce this ultra-safe natural rubber latex into their product lines."

Honeycutt said those manufacturers included producers of surgeons' gloves, exam gloves and catheters for the healthcare industry as well as condom manufacturers and balloon makers.

Vystar holds two US patents to produce Vytex, with the first one issued in 2005.