Today's News

Vancouver, BC, October 31, 2023--(T-Net)--Vancouver-based life sciences company Ondine Biomedical (LON: OBI) anounced that it's Steriwave nasal photodisinfection for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is now available in hospitals across Canada.

The latest hospital to implement Steriwave for its orthopedic surgery patients is the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, affiliated with Dalhousie University and the largest hospital in Nova Scotia, located on Canada's East Coast.

Steriwave is a highly effective method of preventing infections following surgery. This is particularly important due to growing concern about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as hospitals must adapt their protocols to combat the rapid rise of drug-resistant pathogens.

One in nine hospital patients in Canada gets a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) resulting in around 12,000 deaths a year.[i] HAIs are also becoming harder to treat due to rising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which are making some commonly used antibiotics ineffective.[ii] This has meant that one in 19 deaths in Canada is now attributable to antibiotic-resistant infections.[iii] The cost of AMR to the Canadian healthcare sector is also projected to increase from $1.4 billion to $7.6 billion per year by 2050.[iv]

Carolyn Cross, Chairman & CEO, Ondine Biomedical Inc.

Ondine Biomedical's CEO Carolyn Cross said "It is hugely satisfying that Steriwave is now available in hospitals from coast to coast across Canada, giving patients enhanced protection against post-surgical infections. This new hospital deployment demonstrates Steriwave's growing status as an effective alternative to topical antibiotics for infection prevention that easily fits into existing hospital workflows. In the US we are continuing to move forward with our Phase 3 trial in partnership with HCA Healthcare who are providing invaluable input and support."

Ondine's nasal photodisinfection treatment kills all types of pathogens - viruses, bacteria, and fungi - without causing resistance and is already in use in major hospitals across Canada, including Vancouver General and UBC Hospitals in BC, The Ottawa Hospital (Ontario), the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute (Alberta), and the Montreal Heart Institute (Quebec).

Nasal photodisinfection is a non-antibiotic method for nasal decolonization that uses a proprietary light-activated agent to destroy pathogens. First, the agent is applied to each nostril using a nasal swab, then the area is illuminated with a specific wavelength of light. The light activates the photodynamic agent, causing an oxidative burst that destroys pathogens. In this single, 5-minute treatment, Steriwave eliminates infection-causing bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the nose.[v]

[i] https://cupe.ca/health-care-associated-infections-backgrounder-and-fact-sheet

[ii] Poovelikunnel T, Gethin G, Humphreys G. Mupirocin resistance: clinical implications and potential alternatives for the eradication of MRSA. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2015 Oct;70(10):2681-92. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkv169. Epub 2015 Jul 3.

[iii] Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance in Canadian acute care hospitals, CCDR 49(5) - Canada.ca

[iv] Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance in Canadian acute care hospitals, CCDR 49(5) - Canada.ca

[v] Liu Z, Norman G, Iheozor-Ejiofor Z, Wong JK, Crosbie EJ, Wilson P. Nasal decontamination for the prevention of surgical site infection in Staphylococcus aureus carriers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 May 18;5(5):CD012462. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012462.pub2. PMID: 28516472; PMCID: PMC6481881.