This year, MTP Innovations celebrates 16 years in business – a milestone that, while not a traditional anniversary, represents something significant in the healthcare sector: sustained resilience, proven performance, and long-term trust.
Since its founding, the company has focused on one core objective – delivering high-level infection prevention and control solutions designed to protect public safety and save lives. Over the past decade and a half, that mission has required constant adaptation as pathogens, regulatory frameworks, and NHS priorities have evolved.
The company has defined this journey with a clear theme: Adaptive Protection.
“Reaching 16 years is something we’re incredibly proud of,” says Mike Jepson, Managing Director, MTP Innovations. “In healthcare, longevity only comes if you consistently deliver. We’ve grown because we’ve stayed focused on protecting patients and supporting frontline teams.”
Innovation backed by evidence
From its early days, MTP Innovations set out to challenge conventional approaches to infection control. At the time, C. difficile was one of the most significant challenges facing healthcare environments due to its resistance to many standard cleaning methods. While chlorine-based products dominated NHS disinfection protocols, the company developed the first unique pH-neutral cleaning and disinfectant product of its kind within the NHS – designed to deliver efficacy across the full pathogen spectrum, including virucidal, bactericidal, fungicidal, yeasticidal, mycobactericidal, and sporicidal activity.
Crucially, the product’s efficacy has passed all relevant EN standards – both historic and newly introduced – ensuring compliance as regulatory expectations have tightened.
“We’ve always understood that infection prevention cannot stand still,” says Christine Sparks, Commercial Director, MTP Innovations. “Standards change, pathogens change, and the expectations placed on healthcare providers change. Our responsibility has been to evolve in line with those demands – while maintaining absolute confidence in our efficacy.
“Being the first pH-neutral sporicidal product in the NHS wasn’t about being different for the sake of it. It was about addressing real-world challenges – surface compatibility, user safety and sustainability, without compromising performance.”
The scientific foundation of the product has also been reinforced through publication in the Journal of Infection Prevention, demonstrating the efficacy of peracetic acid (PAA) and contributing to the growing body of evidence supporting alternatives to chlorine.
“Evidence has always been central to our approach,” says Mike. “Passing every EN test – old and new – gives our customers reassurance that the product performs to the highest recognised standards.”
Milestones that built momentum
Over 16 years, a series of key milestones has shaped the company’s trajectory:
- Securing its first NHS contract in 2013 – a partnership that remains in place today.
- Receiving £400,000 in European investment funding, accelerating product development and market expansion.
- Achieving patent protection across the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada and the United States – with US approval representing a particularly complex and significant achievement.
- Establishing research and knowledge partnerships with the University of Huddersfield and senior infection prevention leads.
- Partnering with Professor Paul Humphreys and his team at the Microbiology Department at the University of Huddersfield to independently and expertly test and refine the product development from the earliest stages.
- Developing the first sachet-based system in the NHS, created in direct response to frontline feedback to improve dosing accuracy, safety and ease of use.
“Our first NHS contract in 2013 was a defining moment,” says Christine. “The fact that the customer remains with us today speaks volumes. In infection prevention, loyalty is built on results.”
On securing international patents, Mike says: “Protecting our intellectual property across multiple territories – particularly the USA – was a rigorous process. But it underlines the uniqueness of what we developed and the strength of the science behind it.”
And reflecting on the European investment, he adds: “That funding allowed us to scale responsibly. It gave us the ability to invest in quality manufacturing, strengthen our supply chain, and continue refining the product in line with user feedback.”
Responding to a changing NHS landscape
Over the past 16 years, infection prevention priorities have shifted significantly. The sector has faced heightened scrutiny around antimicrobial resistance, increasing regulatory oversight, greater sustainability expectations, and the operational pressures of a global pandemic.
Throughout these changes, MTP Innovations has continued to align closely with NHS guidance and protocols – adjusting formulations, training and implementation support where required.
“We don’t develop products in isolation,” says Christine. “We continually review NHS guidance, infection control standards, and sustainability frameworks. If expectations shift, we adapt. That’s what Adaptive Protection means in practice.”
The business has also actively supported healthcare providers seeking to transition away from chlorine-based products, offering structured trials and user case studies to demonstrate both clinical efficacy and operational feasibility.
“Displacing chlorine requires confidence,” Mike explains. “That’s why we support fully structured trials. We work alongside infection prevention teams to generate data, provide training, and ensure implementation is seamless.”
Sustainability has become an increasingly prominent driver. The company reports ongoing efforts to source the highest-quality ingredients and manufacturing partners, while focusing on recyclable materials and supporting NHS Net Zero ambitions.
“Sustainability is no longer optional in the NHS,” says Christine. “From responsible sourcing to recyclable packaging, we’ve worked hard to ensure our products support environmental goals as well as clinical ones.”
Built on experience and long-term relationships
A defining feature of MTP Innovations’ journey has been continuity – not only in customer partnerships but in leadership expertise.
Both Mike Jepson and Christine Sparks brought extensive experience working within healthcare facilities before establishing the business. That operational insight informed the development of structured training programmes designed to support safe, effective implementation in real-world clinical environments.
“Having worked in the healthcare sector for decades ourselves, we understand the pressures teams are under,” says Mike. “Training isn’t an add-on – it’s essential. Proper implementation is what turns efficacy on paper into protection in practice.”
Another important addition to the team came in 2019, when Elaine Randall-Walker joined MTP Innovations after a 25-year nursing career. Having spent decades working in clinical environments before specialising in cleaning and disinfection in healthcare, she brought valuable frontline insight into the realities of infection prevention. Drawing on that experience, Elaine has since developed the structured training materials used to support the safe and effective implementation of DiffX™ across healthcare settings, ensuring teams have the knowledge and confidence to introduce new disinfection protocols successfully.
Customer loyalty remains one of the company’s strongest indicators of success. Several early adopters continue to use the product today – a testament, the company says, to consistent performance and trusted relationships.
“Sixteen years represents stability, but also progression,” Mike concludes. “We’ve adapted at every stage – to new pathogens, new standards and new sustainability expectations – while staying true to our core purpose: protecting public safety and supporting those on the frontline.”
