Silver Defender advances the future of Surface Intelligence

Fort Lee, NJ Silver Defender, the company pioneering the category of Surface Intelligence, achieved a second major breakthrough in the performance of its proprietary antimicrobial film platform.

Recent R&D testing demonstrated that Silver Defender’s latest formulation achieved a 4.67-log reduction (99.9978%) against Candida auris, one of the most resilient environmental organisms studied in healthcare settings. This achievement follows the company’s 4-log reduction (99.99%) against C. difficile, marking an unprecedented dual milestone for a flexible, transparent, high-touch surface film platform. 

The announcement was first made live on May 5, 2026, at the ISSA Healthcare Surfaces Summit held at ISSA headquarters, where Silver Defender presented the data to an audience of infection prevention leaders, environmental services executives, healthcare advisors, and facility operators.

“For years, the industry assumed this level of performance was only possible through liquids, sprays, or temporary disinfection events,” said Zeynep Ekemen, CEO, founder, and inventor of Silver Defender.
“What we are demonstrating is that engineered materials themselves can now maintain extraordinary resistance to microbial degradation while integrating seamlessly into the most demanding environments in the world. This is not incremental innovation. This is a new category.”

In addition to third-party laboratory validation, Silver Defender continues to demonstrate measurable proof-of-concept through hospital-led pilot programs across the U.S.

In one long-term pilot at a major hospital in New York, an ATP verification test performed on a heavily used lobby touchscreen initially measured nearly 10,000 Relative Light Units (RLU) - a level indicating significant organic contamination. Following installation of Silver Defender’s film, the same touchscreen was re-tested over an eleven-month period with zero reapplication. The most recent ATP reading measured just 7 RLU.

The result represents a measurable real-world durability benchmark and reinforces Silver Defender’s position that Surface Intelligence must be validated not only in laboratory conditions, but also in live operational environments.

Silver Defender’s proprietary technology is engineered to protect the treated article itself by resisting microbial growth that can contribute to staining, odors, material degradation, and surface deterioration over time.

Designed for healthcare, aviation, transportation, commercial real estate, education, and other high-touch environments, Silver Defender’s platform supports existing cleaning and maintenance protocols while helping surfaces maintain a higher standard of integrity between routine cleaning cycles.

As healthcare systems, transportation hubs, and global facility operators seek more durable, data-driven solutions, Silver Defender’s breakthroughs further establish the company as a leader in the next generation of engineered antimicrobial materials.

With both Candida auris and C. difficile milestones now achieved, Silver Defender continues to redefine what is possible in high-touch surface performance.