Cardiac SSI Infection Tax at C$2,056 per Surgery
Summary by AI BETAClose X
11 November 2026
ONDINE BIOMEDICAL INC.
(“Ondine Biomedical”, “Ondine”, or “the Company”)
Cardiac Surgery Health Economics Analysis Highlights the Cost of Surgical Site Infections and Impact on Hospital Capacity
Health economic analysis highlights the C$2,056 per-cardiac surgery “Infection Tax” and an estimated 10% loss of surgical capacity resulting from surgical site infections
Ondine Biomedical Inc. (AIM: OBI), the leader in light-activated antimicrobial therapies to prevent and treat hospital infections, highlights a health economic and quality improvement analysis estimating that surgical site infections (“SSIs”) add an average C$2,056 (£1,090) to the cost of every cardiac surgery performed, illustrating the potential for infection prevention to reduce hospital costs and release capacity for additional procedures.
The analysis was presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress (“CCC”) 2026 and published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
The analysis models the real-world economic impact of cardiac SSIs on a per-procedure basis. Drawing on established clinical benchmarks, the analysis highlights that with a baseline cardiac surgery infection rate of 6.7% (Saunders et al., 2023) and an assumed incremental hospital cost of C$30,689 per infected patient, adapted from Ai et al. (2025) for the Canadian modelling analysis. On these assumptions, the model estimates an average “Infection Tax” of approximately C$2,056 per cardiac surgery performed. By framing the high cost of preventable infections on a per-surgery basis, the study provides healthcare administrators and clinical leaders with a direct, transparent metric to evaluate the potential return on investment of advanced pre-operative prevention protocols compared to the status quo.
Key Abstract Findings:
- Surgical Capacity Loss: In a modelled cohort of 1,000 cardiac surgery patients, the resulting 67 SSIs would generate over C$2.05 million in incremental costs and consume 650 additional bed-days (based on an average SSI-related length of stay extension of 9.7 days).
- The Opportunity Cost: These 650 additional bed-days could otherwise support an estimated 100 elective cardiac procedures, representing an avoidable 10% loss of total surgical capacity. This loss of capacity can also contribute to longer surgical waiting lists.
Carolyn Cross, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ondine Biomedical, commented:
“The findings presented at CCC 2026 underscore the significant economic and operational burden that surgical site infections place on healthcare systems, especially public sector hospitals with long wait lists. The 'Infection Tax' approach demonstrates that every cardiac procedure carries an unbudgeted C$2,056 burden due to SSI prevention failure. Evaluating SSI costs on a per-procedure basis gives clinical leaders an important framework to assess the value of standardized infection-prevention strategies.”
Ondine's analysis was presented at CCC 2026 along with two related posters from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute:
- P385 IMPLEMENTING A CARDIAC SURGERY SURGICAL SITE INFECTION PREVENTION BUNDLE THROUGH FRONTLINE ENGAGEMENT, NASAL PHOTODISINFECTION, AND NURSE-LED ADVOCACY Neilipovitz et al. Canadian Journal of Cardiology
- P027 NASAL PHOTODISINFECTION AND SURGICAL SITE INFECTION FOLLOWING CARDIAC SURGERY: AN INTERRUPTED TIME SERIES ANALYSIS Kang et al. Canadian Journal of Cardiology
Note on cost assumptions
The assumed incremental cost of C$30,689 per SSI was adapted by the authors from the US cost benchmark reported by Ai et al. (2025), allowing for foreign exchange and differences in healthcare-system costs. It is a modelling assumption rather than a directly measured Canadian cardiac SSI cost.
Enquiries:
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Ondine Biomedical Inc. |
www.ondinebio.com |
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Carolyn Cross, CEO |
+1 604 669 0555 |
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Strand Hanson Limited (Nominated & Financial Adviser) |
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James Harris, Richard Johnson, Imogen Ellis |
+44 (0)20 7409 3494 |
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Peel Hunt LLP (Broker & Joint Financial Adviser) |
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James Steel, Dr. Chris Golden |
+44 (0)20 7418 8900 |
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5654 & Company (Financial PR and IR Adviser) |
ondinebiomedical@5654.co.uk |
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Matthew Neal, Chris Gardner, Melissa Gardiner, Lucy Featherstone
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+44 0791 7800 011 +44 0775 7697 357 +44 (0)7474 953 578
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About Ondine Biomedical Inc.
Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian life sciences company focused on the development of light-activated antimicrobial therapies ('photodisinfection') for the prevention and treatment of infections, including those associated with multidrug-resistant organisms. Ondine's lead photodisinfection product is authorised for nasal decolonisation in Canada, the UK and certain other international markets, where it is marketed as Steriwave®. The Company also has a pipeline of additional photodisinfection products in various stages of development for applications including chronic sinusitis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, burns and other indications.
About Steriwave® and its Mode of Action
Steriwave nasal photodisinfection is a light-activated antimicrobial therapy designed to rapidly eliminate potentially pathogenic microorganisms in the nose, a major reservoir from which pathogens spread to surgical sites and lower respiratory tracts. Applied by a healthcare professional, the treatment uses a proprietary photosensitising agent activated by red light to produce a rapid antimicrobial effect through oxidative mechanisms. Because the mechanisms act through non-antibiotic oxidative pathways, Steriwave has a low potential for the development of microbial resistance.
Regulatory Status and Clinical Data Disclaimer
Regulatory approvals, clearances and authorisations vary by jurisdiction, and indications, claims and availability may differ between markets. Ondine's photodisinfection products, including its nasal photodisinfection technology, are not approved or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") and are not commercially available in the United States, where they are limited by federal law to investigational use only. Their safety and effectiveness have not been established by the FDA, and any future U.S. marketing would be subject to FDA review and approval. No statement in this announcement should be interpreted as representing approval, clearance, authorisation or commercial availability in any jurisdiction, or for any use, where such status has not been granted.
References to clinical outcomes in this announcement should be interpreted in the context of the specific studies, real-world evaluations, endpoints and patient populations described, and do not imply regulatory approval for any particular indication or jurisdiction.
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