Vancouver, Canada, Aug. 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
- Ondine's technology platform is capable of painlessly and rapidly destroying a broad spectrum of bacteria, fungi, and viruses — including SARS-CoV-2 — without generating resistance.
Canadian medical device innovator, Ondine Biomedical, will present in vitro and in vivo results from SARS-CoV-2 programs at the European Society of Photobiology (ESP2021) in Salzburg, Austria on 31st August 2021. Ondine has previously demonstrated that its Steriwave™ photodisinfection therapy, which uses light-activated agents to eliminate pathogens in the nose and upper airway, can rapidly destroy the RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2.
The nose and upper airway have been identified as ideal breeding grounds and reservoirs for many pathogens including MRSA, Candida auris and SARS-Cov-2. Ondine’s Steriwave photodisinfection therapy can rapidly and painlessly eradicate bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the nose and upper airway, helping to eliminate a leading source of infection and transmissions, without developing microbial resistance.
Dr. Nicolas Loebel, Ondine Biomedical’s President and Chief Technology Officer, will present the results in the “Photomedicine and SARS-CoV-2/ASP-ESP” Symposium. “Several commercial users have reported on the prophylactic use of our Steriwave technology in their workforces,” stated Dr. Loebel. “We are excited to be able to share these results with the scientific community at ESP2021. These commercial outcomes parallel results from our in vitro work, demonstrating that SARS-CoV-2 is just as susceptible to eradication via photodisinfection therapy as any of the common pathogens encountered on a daily basis in Canadian hospital patients.”
Steriwave has been safely and effectively used in Canadian hospitals for over ten years in the prevention of hospital-acquired infections. Previous studies have demonstrated that use of Steriwave nasal photodisinfection can substantially reduce the number of surgical site infections, as well as generating substantial pharmacoeconomic savings from reduced readmission rates and shorter hospital stays.
Steriwave photodisinfection, also known as antimicrobial photodynamic disinfection therapy (aPDT), is carried out by a trained healthcare professional, and is painless and easy to use. The patented platform technology involves a two-step process: the application of a laser light-activated agent to each nostril, followed by illumination of the area via laser light for less than five minutes.
The photodisinfection process works by using a specific wavelength of laser light to excite the photodynamic agent, causing oxidative disruption which rapidly destroys target pathogenic microorganisms. A key benefit of this approach is that pathogens cannot develop resistance to the treatment.
Steriwave has a CE mark and is approved in Canada and number of other countries. In the US, it is currently going through clinical trials for regulatory approval.
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About Photodisinfection
Ondine’s Photodisinfection technology provides a powerful new alternative in the fight against drug-resistant infections. This patented, light-activated antimicrobial kills a broad spectrum of drug-resistant bacteria, viruses, and fungi, including those in biofilms, while substantially reducing local inflammation. Photodisinfection, also known as antimicrobial Photodynamic Disinfection Therapy (aPDT), was invented by UCL Professor Michael Wilson in the late 1980’s for oral infections. Photodisinfection kills pathogens through oxidative disruption with minimal impact on human epithelial tissue or mucosa. Pathogens are unable to resist or adapt to this treatment. This pain-free, minimally invasive, and easy-to-use therapy results in high procedure compliance.
About Ondine Biomedical Inc.
Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian headquartered, medical device company led by Founder and CEO, Carolyn Cross. Ondine has developed a patented, painless, photodisinfection technology platform used in treatment and prevention therapies for a broad-spectrum of pathogens - bacterial, viral and fungal - including multidrug-resistant strains. In addition to Steriwave for nasal disinfection, other applications of the photodisinfection platform are under development, including treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, decolonization of burns and wounds, disinfection of endotracheal tubes to reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia and most recently, the development of topical antiviral therapy for the upper respiratory tract to reduce SARS-CoV-2 titre and transmission.
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