Canadian life science company Ondine Biomedical Inc (LSE:OBI.L) on Monday declared the first commercial adoption of its groundbreaking light-activated antimicrobial, Steriwave by two NHS hospitals.

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust approved Steriwave for orthopedic surgery patients to combat surgical site infections (SSIs), aiming to reduce the incidence of infections. Steriwave will be expanded across hip and knee surgery patients at Pontefract and Pinderfields NHS Hospitals.

SSIs affect one in every 20 NHS surgical patients and can cost up to GBP100,000 per patient. Steriwave, unlike traditional antibiotics, immediately eliminates pathogens with a single five-minute treatment and does not induce antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The adoption follows a successful initial deployment at Pontefract Hospital, with further evaluations ongoing.

Steriwave's efficacy has been demonstrated in over 150,000 patient treatments globally, resulting in significant reductions in post-surgical infection rates and healthcare costs. Ondine Biomedical leads in the development and clinical use of light-activated antimicrobial therapies, with a pipeline of investigational products targeting various medical indications.

The CE-marked Steriwave nasal decolonisation technology is recommended by WHO and NICE for preventing SSIs, representing a crucial advancement in combating antimicrobial resistance and enhancing patient safety during surgical procedures.