Photodisinfection effective against SARS-CoV-2

RNS Number : 2210H

Ondine Biomedical Inc.

05 April 2022

 

5 April 2022

Ondine Biomedical Inc.

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

Photodisinfection effective against SARS-CoV-2

New study confirms that photodisinfection is rapidly effective against SARS-CoV-2

Ondine Biomedical (AIM: OBI) announces that independent research has confirmed previous results showing that Ondine Biomedical's photodisinfection technology is highly effective against human clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2.

The study, published in the Journal of Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, was led by a team of researchers from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and was conducted at leading European research centre, the University of Coimbra Hospital Centre (CHUC). The study was made possible through a grant from Centro2020 of PT2020 (European Regional Development Fund, Fotovid project n. 49708) to LaserLeap Technologies, a partner in this study.

Key findings from the study reconfirmed that a single dose of photodisinfection is capable of destroying both the SARS-CoV-2 viral spike and viral genome, reducing viral load to below detection limit within five minutes. In addition, the photodisinfection treatment was found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in mammalian cell culture by 99.99%, inactivating the virus with minimal toxicity to the mammalian cells.

Principal investigator and President of the International Photodynamic Association (IPA), Professor Luis Arnaut, commented: "Our results show that photodisinfection with methylene blue is highly effective against in vitro isolates of SARS-CoV-2. The non-toxic nature of the treatment would also make it possible to provide safe, fast, and efficient nasal photodisinfection of COVID-19 patients. These strong results support the clinical trial work being conducted at the University of Navarra in Spain which is evaluating the efficacy of nasal photodisinfection to affect the disease progression of COVID-19."

The Steriwave™ photodisinfection laser technology used for the study was developed by Ondine Biomedical. The photodisinfection process works by the light exciting a photosensitive gel, causing an oxidative burst that rapidly destroys pathogens - bacteria, viruses, and fungi - by irreparably damaging their cell membranes and surface proteins. This process immediately stops when the light is removed.

About Ondine Biomedical Inc.

Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian headquartered company led by founder and CEO, Carolyn Cross. Ondine has developed a patented, photodisinfection technology platform used in treatment and prevention therapies for a broad-spectrum of pathogens - including multidrug-resistant strains. Photodisinfection is a targeted antimicrobial which uses non-thermal light to activate a photosensitive agent. In a few minutes, this light-based therapy destroys the pathogens through an oxidative burst without any impact on human tissue.

Ondine has a pipeline of investigational products, based on its proprietary photodisinfection platform, in various stages of development. Products include treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, decolonization of infections in 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 viral titres and transmission of respiratory viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV, etc.). Ondine's technology is approved in a number of jurisdictions and has been awarded the CE mark, as well as Qualified Infectious Disease Product and Fast Track status in the US by the FDA.

For further Information, contact:

Ondine Biomedical Inc. 

Carolyn Cross, CEO

Telephone: [phone]

Arden Partners plc 

Nominated Adviser and Broker

Ruari McGirr / Antonio Bossi

Telephone: [phone]

Media Contact:

Simon Vane Percy

Telephone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail] / [e-mail]

 

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