Ondine shortlisted for HSJ Partnership Award

16 December 2025

ONDINE BIOMEDICAL INC.

("Ondine Biomedical", "Ondine" or the "Company")

Ondine shortlisted for HSJ Partnership Award

HSJ Partnership Award Finalists: Ondine Biomedical and Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust for Cutting Post-surgical Infection Rates

Ondine Biomedical Inc. (AIM: OBI) and Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust (Mid Yorks) have been shortlisted for the 'Most Impactful Use of Technology on Clinical Practice' award at the prestigious 2026 HSJ Partnership Awards, following the successful implementation of Ondine's Steriwave® nasal decolonisation technology.

This award recognises the exceptional contributions from companies and technology partners that work with NHS organisations to implement solutions that are delivering meaningful improvements in clinical practice and patient outcomes.

Introduced to reduce surgical site infections (SSI) in patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgeries at Mid Yorks' Pontefract and Pinderfields hospitals, the Steriwave intervention was associated with a 71% reduction in SSI over a six-month period, along with significant cost savings and tangible improvements in patient outcomes.

Since the initial pilot, a number of major hospitals across England are using or evaluating Steriwave across multiple specialties, including ENT, neurosurgery, cardiac, orthopaedic, and spinal surgery, as well as in the ICU, where immunocompromised patients are particularly vulnerable to infection.

Growing recognition of the importance of nasal decolonisation-with the nose a major reservoir of pathogens-has coincided with rising antimicrobial resistance, which is reducing the effectiveness of mupirocin, the current standard of care. Mupirocin also has poor compliance, requiring twice-daily application for five days prior to surgery. In contrast, a single pre-operative Steriwave treatment rapidly destroys all classes of pathogens without generating resistance, offering an effective, antibiotic-sparing alternative.

Real-world data from Mid Yorks demonstrated that, in a standardised cohort of 1,000 people, Steriwave prevents an additional 9.8 SSIs compared to standard of care alone and reduces total hospital bed days by 139. Using this data, an independent health-economic analysis by the York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC) found that the NHS can save £1.49 to £2.38 for every £1 spent on Steriwave to prevent SSI across major surgical specialties. With £38 to £107 net savings per operation, Steriwave could generate up to £200 million in annual savings across UK hospitals.

A broader literature-based costing analysis by YHEC further validated these benefits:

· Overall Surgeries (hip, knee, spinal, cardiac, vascular):  net savings of £107,530 per 1,000 patients (£2.38 saved for every £1 spent).

· Cardiac Surgeries: the largest net savings, up to £228,090 per 1,000 patients (£3.92 saved for every £1 spent).

· Hip and Knee Surgeries: net savings of approximately £86,650 and £84,430 per 1,000 patients respectively (£2.10 saved for every £1 spent).

Carolyn Cross, CEO of Ondine:

"We are pleased to be recognised for advancing patient welfare in the UK with our non-antibiotic nasal decolonisation therapy. This recognition highlights the importance of preventing potentially devastating post-surgical infections and reducing the UK's 6+ million patients surgical wait list by avoiding costly readmissions. Congratulations to Dr Stuart Bond and his team for introducing Steriwave to the NHS, demonstrating its clinical benefits amid rising antibiotic resistance and generating interest in the UK and abroad."

Dr Stuart Bond, Consultant Antimicrobial Pharmacist and Director of Innovation at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust:

"Being named a finalist is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team as well as our commitment to innovation to improve patient outcomes. Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do, and we are proud to be recognised at a national level."

The shortlisting follows a rigorous judging process conducted by a panel of experts and highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community.

Steriwave nasal photodisinfection is a non-invasive and painless treatment that uses a proprietary light-activated photosensitive agent to destroy harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi-including antibiotic-resistant strains-in the nasal passages. The procedure takes five minutes and, unlike antibiotics, is effective immediately and allows the normal nasal microbiome to recover quickly, without fostering antimicrobial resistance, offering a powerful tool in the fight against healthcare-associated infections.

Organised by the Health Service Journal (HSJ), the HSJ Partnership Awards are among the most recognised and respected honours in UK healthcare. They celebrate outstanding collaborations between the NHS and its partners that deliver measurable improvements in patient care, efficiency and value. Shortlisted entries undergo rigorous assessment by senior NHS leaders and reflect work that is already demonstrating real-world impact.

Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 19 March 2026, an event that celebrates excellence, promotes best practice, and recognises the people and projects driving improved outcomes for patients nationwide. Recognition at the HSJ Partnership Awards highlights the strength and effectiveness of a partnership and raises its profile across the NHS and beyond, reinforcing the credibility and impact of the work being celebrated.

For healthcare providers in the UK interested in Steriwave®, the technology is available through Ondine's distribution partner, Mölnlycke Health Care, a global leader in medical solutions. For more information contact: Healthcare Professionals Contact or [email protected], or call +44 0800 917 4918.

Enquiries:

About Ondine Biomedical Inc.

Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian life sciences company and leader in light-activated antimicrobial therapies ('photodisinfection') for the prevention and treatment of infections, including those caused by multidrug-resistant organisms. Ondine has a pipeline of investigational products, based on its proprietary photodisinfection technology, in various stages of development.

Ondine's nasal photodisinfection system is CE-marked in Europe and is approved for nasal decolonisation in Canada, Australia, Mexico and several other countries under the name Steriwave®. In the US, it has been granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product designation and Fast Track status by the FDA and is currently undergoing clinical trials for regulatory approval. Products beyond nasal photodisinfection include therapies for a variety of medical indications such as chronic sinusitis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, burns and other indications.

About Mölnlycke Health Care 

Mölnlycke Health Care is a world-leading MedTech company that specialises in innovative solutions for wound care and surgical procedures. Mölnlycke products and solutions are used daily by hospitals, health care providers and patients in over 100 countries around the world. Founded in 1849, Mölnlycke is owned by Investor AB and headquartered in Sweden. www.molnlycke.com