The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recently published a report highlighting the concerning rise of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). In this issue is an alarming rise in antibiotic use and an increase in resistance, with about one-third of the microorganisms responsible for HAIs becoming resistant to antibiotics. This situation leaves health professionals with fewer effective pharmaceutical options for treating patients, necessitating the development and application of alternative, innovative solutions.
Canadian life sciences company Ondine Biomedical presents one such solution – a light-activated antimicrobial technology, Steriwave. This technology, now in use across Canada and the NHS, eliminates all types of pathogens without generating resistance, addressing the direct needs highlighted in the ECDC’s report.
The ECDC report, showcasing a comparison between data from 2016-17 and 2022-23, saw an increase in patients receiving at least one antimicrobial agent from 32.9% to 35.5%. This upswing in antibiotic use is particularly worrisome as it leaves doctors with fewer treatment options for patients. ECDC Director, Dr. Andrea Ammon, made clear the urgency of the matter, emphasizing the need for stronger infection prevention and control policies, enhanced antimicrobial stewardship, and improved surveillance to effectively limit the spread of these infections.
As antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, threatens to become one of the most daunting global public health issues, innovations like Steriwave offer a beacon of hope. The broad-spectrum light-activated antimicrobial technology uses a patented photosensitizer in conjunction with red light to destroy pathogens in the nose, a noted reservoir for bacteria, fungi, and viruses contributing to severe infections. Unlike traditional remedies, Steriwave takes immediate effect with a single five-minute treatment without triggering AMR.
Studies shared by Ondine Biomedical at the 2023 International Consortium on Prevention & Infection Control (ICPIC) demonstrated Steriwave’s effectiveness, eliminating over 99.99% of both moderately and extensively drug-resistant bacteria within 20 seconds. Now Steriwave is used widely in the NHS and Canada, as well as by the first adopters in the EU, the Spanish hospitals, to counteract HAIs.
As for the future of Steriwave, it shows immense promise as physicians and healthcare professionals continue to combat the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance. Over 150,000 patients have benefitted from this technology so far, with no severe side effects reported. This ongoing success addresses the urgent need for alternative, effective antimicrobials that do not invoke resistance, making Ondine Biomedical’s innovative solutions crucial in the global fight against HAIs.