RCS - Ondine Biomedical - Steriwave Expands into ENT Surgery in Spain

Ondine BiomedicalAnnouncement

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RNS Number : 9562P  Ondine Biomedical Inc.  22 January 2026

22 January 2026

 

ONDINE BIOMEDICAL INC.

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

 

Steriwave Expands into ENT Surgery in Spain

 

Ondine Biomedical Inc. (AIM: OBI), a leader in light-activated antimicrobial
therapies, is pleased to announce the deployment of its Steriwave® nasal
photodisinfection technology into a leading ear, nose and throat (ENT)
specialist group operating surgical centres in Madrid and Málaga.

Many ENT procedures involve operating in, or passing through, the nasal
cavity. Sinonasal procedures (septoplasty, sinuplasty  and functional
endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) and cytoreductive surgery for cancer)
represent an important growth area for Steriwave with about 600,000 procedures
performed in the USA annually. Of this number, Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS)
alone represents over 300,000 procedures annually. CRS is a disease with
strong infectious and inflammatory components and is a major health burden.(1)
Infection risk is further elevated in patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis
(CRS).

CRS is the second more common chronic disease condition affecting about
12%-15% of adults in western countries(1). CRS patients, due to repeated
antibiotic and steroid treatments, have nasal microbiomes that are often
dominated by multidrug resistant pathogens. Frequent administration of
broad-spectrum antibiotics may further deplete the resident microbiome,
permitting overgrowth of pathogenic species such as Staph aureus.(2) CRS is a
common disease linked to a disrupted nasal microbiome, which antibiotics may
worsen(1). Up to 70% of complex cases with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) involve
Staph. aureus colonization(3,5,6) and about 30% of CRS patients are colonized
with multidrug resistant bacteria like MRSA and Pseudomonas(3). These
"superbugs" can form persistent biofilms, significantly increase post-surgical
risk and further disrupt the nasal microbiome(4).

Steriwave has already demonstrated meaningful clinical impact in ENT surgery,
as reported by Professor Claire Hopkins, Professor of Rhinology at King's
College London and Consultant ENT Surgeon at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS
Foundation Trust. In her practice, applying Steriwave prior to sinonasal
surgery led to a 77% reduction in post-operative antibiotic use, with
prescription rates falling from 22.5% to 5% (P=0.02).(7)

Steriwave is a five-minute, non-invasive treatment that uses a proprietary
light-activated photosensitive agent to destroy bacteria, viruses and fungi,
including antibiotic-resistant strains, without generating antimicrobial
resistance. Unlike topical antibiotics, which require multiple days of
application and face compliance challenges and growing resistance, Steriwave
is effective immediately-including against superbugs-while enabling beneficial
microbes to repopulate quickly, a key benefit in light of recent microbiome
research.(8)

The landmark CARRIAGE study, published in Nature Communications in 2025,
represents the most comprehensive analysis to date of the nasal microbiome.(9)
The findings reveal that Staphylococcus aureus can become dominant within the
nasal environment, effectively suppressing beneficial commensal bacteria that
ordinarily help guard against infection. The study specifically observed that
individuals who persistently carry Staph. aureus exhibit markedly higher
levels of this pathogen and reduced levels of protective commensals compared
to non-carriers, resulting in a stable yet elevated risk of infection.(9)

Carolyn Cross, CEO of Ondine Biomedical, commented:

"For patients with chronic sinusitis, whose microbiomes are already fragile,
Steriwave rapidly destroys  dangerous pathogens while allowing for the rapid
recovery of the natural flora that supports long-term well-being. It is
rewarding to see leading Spanish ENT specialists embracing this non-antibiotic
approach to deliver healthier nasal decolonisation and help to protect
patients from surgical site infections as well as the risk of translocation of
pathogens from the nares into the sinuses during instrumentation."

Steriwave is redefining surgical care by reducing infection risk and promoting
rapid restoration of a healthy nasal microbiome. Its swift, non-antibiotic
decontamination approach is gaining traction among ENT specialists in Spain
and beyond, reflecting strong clinician confidence in its effectiveness and
safety. This expansion aligns with Ondine's commitment to advancing patient
protection and improving outcomes across diverse surgical fields and
geographies. Real-world data demonstrate that Steriwave not only lowers
post-surgical infection rates and antibiotic use, but also shortens hospital
stays, reduces readmissions, and delivers cost savings per patient-enhancing
patient care while supporting robust antibiotic stewardship and greater
healthcare system efficiency.

Enquiries:

 Ondine Biomedical Inc.                                www.ondinebio.com (http://www.ondinebio.com/)
 Carolyn Cross, CEO                                    +1 604 669 0555

or via Vane Percy & Roberts
 Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated & Joint Financial Adviser)
 James Harris, Richard Johnson                         +44 (0)20 7409 3494

 Peel Hunt LLP (Broker & Joint Financial Adviser)
 James Steel, Dr. Chris Golden                         +44 (0)20 7418 8900

 Vane Percy & Roberts (Media Contact)
 Simon Vane Percy                                      +44 (0)77 1000 5910

 

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.

References

1.   Mahdavinia, M., et al. (2015). A comprehensive review of the nasal
microbiome in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Clinical & Experimental
Allergy, 46(1), 21-41.

2.   Foreman A, Boase S, Psaltis A, Wormald PJ. (2012) Role of bacterial and
fungal biofilms in chronic rhinosinusitis. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2012
Apr;12(2):127-35. doi: 10.1007/s11882-012-0246-7. PMID: 22322439.

3.   Abreu NA., et al. (2012). Sinus microbiome diversity depletion and
Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum enrichment mediates rhinosinusitis. Sci
Transl Med. 2012 Sep 12;4(151):151ra124. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3003783.
PMID: 22972842; PMCID: PMC4786373.

4.   Bhattacharyya, N., & Kepnes, L. J. (2001). The microbiology of
recurrent rhinosinusitis after endoscopic sinus surgery. Archives of
Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

5.   Shaghayegh, G., et al. (2022). Chronic Rhinosinusitis, S. aureus
Biofilm and Secreted Products, Inflammatory Responses, and Disease Severity.
Biomedicines, 10(6), 1362.

6.   Vickery, T. W., Ramakrishnan, V. R., & Suh, J. D. (2019). The Role
of Staphylococcus aureus in Patients with Chronic Sinusitis and Nasal
Polyposis. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 19(4).

7.   Hopkins, C. (2024). Photodisinfection in Sinonasal Surgery. Clinical
outcomes report, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

8.   Ondine Biomedical Inc. (2023). Impact of photodisinfection on the nasal
microbiome. Technical White Paper.

9.   Aggarwal, D., Bellis, K. L., et al. (2025). Large-scale
characterization of the nasal microbiome redefines Staphylococcus aureus
colonization status. Nature Communications, 16(1), 10415.

 

 

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