Ondine Biomedical Inc. - Steriwave now in Canada's East Coast

Nova Scotia's largest hospital is the latest to implement Steriwave nasal photodisinfection for use prior to orthopedic surgery

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 13, 2023 / Canadian life sciences company Ondine Biomedical's (LSE:OBI) 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. ^[1] HAIs are also becoming harder to treat due to rising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which are making some commonly used antibiotics ineffective. ^[2] This has meant that one in 19 deaths in Canada is now attributable to antibiotic-resistant infections. ^[3] 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. ^[4]

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. ^[5]

**ENDS**

About Ondine Biomedical Inc.

Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian headquartered company innovating in the field of photodisinfection therapies. Ondine has a pipeline of investigational products, based on its proprietary photodisinfection platform, in various stages of development. Products beyond nasal photodisinfection include therapies for a variety of medical indications such as chronic sinusitis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, burns, and other indications.

About Nasal Photodisinfection

Ondine's nasal photodisinfection is a patented technology using a proprietary photosensitizer (non-antibiotic, light-activated agent) to destroy pathogens. The photodisinfection treatment is carried out by a trained healthcare professional, and is an easy-to-use, painless, two-step process. The photosensitizer is applied to each nostril using a nasal swab, followed by illumination of the area with a specific wavelength of laser light for less than five minutes. The light activates the photosensitizer, causing an oxidative burst that is lethal to all types of pathogens. A key benefit of this approach, unlike with antibiotics, is that pathogens do not develop resistance to the therapy.

Nasal decolonization with antibiotics is already standard practice in many hospitals prior to surgery, as pathogens in a patient's nasal cavities are a major cause of surgical site infections (SSIs). However, there is a growing need to reduce antibiotic use and find non-antibiotic methods of nasal decolonization as resistance rates have been reported as high as 81%. ^[6]

Ondine's nasal photodisinfection system has a CE mark in Europe and the UK and is approved in Canada and several other countries under the name Steriwave®. It has been used in Canada for over ten years, with no serious adverse events reported. In the US, it is currently undergoing clinical trials for regulatory approval.

^[1] https://cupe.ca/health-care-associated-infections-backgrounder-and-fact-sheet

^[2] Poovelikunnel T, Gethin G, Humphreys H. 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.

^[3] Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance in Canadian acute care hospitals, CCDR 49(5) - Canada.ca

^[4] Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance in Canadian acute care hospitals, CCDR 49(5) - Canada.ca

^[5] 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.

^[6] Poovelikunnel T, Gethin G, Humphreys H. 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.

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SOURCE: Ondine Biomedical Inc