The Ottawa Hospital pilots nasal disinfection

23 September 2022

Ondine Biomedical Inc.

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

The Ottawa Hospital pilots pre-surgical nasal disinfection for all spine surgery patients to reduce infections

· The Ottawa Hospital has chosen to use photodisinfection technology developed by Canadian life sciences company, Ondine Biomedical.

· Nasal decolonization has been recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) to reduce surgical site infections in spine surgeries; photodisinfection is an effective and low-cost therapy that improves patient outcomes reducing readmission rates and costs by rapidly eliminating the pathogens they are carrying.

The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) has selected Canadian company Ondine Biomedical's nasal photodisinfection technology for a three-month pilot evaluation of a universal, non-antibiotic protocol to prevent surgical site infections in spine surgery patients. In an era of rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), reducing infection rates with non-antibiotic technologies that do not generate AMR is an important Canadian objective.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows that surgical site infections (SSIs) are the leading cause of readmissionsi to hospital following surgery and a significant cause of post-surgical morbidity and mortality, with a 2- to 11-fold increase in the risk of mortality.ii Post-surgical infections are a greater risk for spinal surgeries, affecting up to 17% of patients and treatment can be challenging, especially with rising rates of antimicrobial resistance.[i][ii]

Ondine's Steriwave™ technology for pre-surgical nasal decolonization has already been deployed in a number of Canadian hospitals, including Vancouver General and UBC Hospitals, where it has reduced post-operative infection rates for spine surgeries by 78%.

During the pilot, spine surgery patients at TOH will be using Ondine's nasal photodisinfection therapy to decolonize the nose of pathogens - viruses, bacteria, and fungi. The hospital will then evaluate a how effectively nasal photodisinfection reduces the number of SSIs, patients' length of stay in hospital, and readmissions rates.

Carolyn Cross, Ondine's CEO commented:

"We are very pleased to be working with the spine group at TOH to make our technology available to their patients. Following COVID-19, it is more important than ever to reduce patient readmission rates given the large surgery backlogs at all Canadian hospitals. Nasal decolonization has long been recommended by the World Health Organization for complex surgeries. Steriwave nasal photodisinfection enables fast, broad-spectrum efficacy, resulting in significant improvements to patient outcomes, cost savings, and bed capacity."

About Nasal Photodisinfection

Ondine's nasal photodisinfection is a patented technology using a proprietary methylene blue based formulation. The photodisinfection treatment is carried out by a trained healthcare professional, and is an easy to use, painless, two-step process. The light-activated formulation is applied to each nostril using a nasal swab, and then the nostrils are illuminated with a specific wavelength of light using a disposable light radiator for less than five minutes. The light excites the formulation causing an oxidative burst which rapidly destroys all types of pathogens without harming human tissue. A key benefit of this technology is that pathogens do not develop resistance to the treatment.

Ondine's nasal photodisinfection has a CE mark 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.

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 include therapies for a variety of medical indications such as nasal disinfection, sinusitis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, burns, and other indications. Ondine's nasal photodisinfection technology is approved in several jurisdictions under the brand name Steriwave™. It has been awarded the CE mark and, in the US, has been granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product designation and Fast Track status in the UD by the FDA.

About The Ottawa Hospital

The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada's top learning and research hospitals, where excellent care is inspired by research and driven by compassion. As the third-largest employer in Ottawa, our support staff, researchers, nurses, physicians, and volunteers never stop seeking solutions to the most complex health-care challenges. 

Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, attracts some of the most influential scientific minds from around the world. Our focus on learning and research leads to new techniques and discoveries that are adopted globally to improve patient care. 

We are the Regional Trauma Centre for eastern Ontario and have been accredited with Exemplary Standing for health-care delivery - the highest rating from Accreditation Canada. We are also home to world-leading research programs focused on cancer therapeutics, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, chronic disease, and practice-changing research. 

Backed by generous support from the community, we are committed to providing the world-class, compassionate care we would want for our loved ones. 

For more information about The Ottawa Hospital, visit OttawaHospital.on.ca.