Ondine receives funding for meat photodisinfection
Ondine Biomedical Inc.
("Ondine Biomedical", "Ondine" or the "Company")
Ondine receives funding for meat photodisinfection
· Funding of up to $735,000 towards development of prototype of novel photodisinfection application for use in food production.
· Up to 30% of food is lost due to degradation according to the UN.[1]
· Photodisinfection kills all types of pathogens - viruses, bacteria, and fungi - without creating resistance.
Ondine Biomedical Inc. (LON:OBI): Canadian life sciences company, Ondine Biomedical, has received funding of nearly $735,000 from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) towards development of a food-safe photodisinfection method for Canada's meat packing industry. Ondine will leverage its proven medical photodisinfection technology platform to create a novel, photodynamic disinfection process to destroy pathogens on meat products without causing microbial resistance.
The Canadian meat processing industry has an urgent need for the development of technologies to reduce the incidence of food-borne pathogens including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa. Eradicating these invasive microbes will help protect the $9.4 billion (2021) Canadian meat export industry, as well enhance as the lives and welfare of Canadian consumers by reducing the incidence of food-borne illnesses.
Pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA, are known to spread easily in meat packing facilities, especially in the pork industry.[2] Reducing the spread of these deadly pathogens is critical not only for consumer safety but also for that of the employees and the livestock at these facilities. Photodisinfection is highly effective against these pathogens, with recent research showing that Ondine's technology eliminated more than 99.9% of S. aureus in only 60 seconds, irrespective of the pathogen's level of antibiotic resistance[3].
Dr. Nicolas Loebel, President and Chief Technology officer of Ondine Biomedical Inc. said:
"Approximately 3.5 billion kilograms of poultry and meat are wasted every year globally, with a significant portion of this due to microbial spoilage. The related costs of beef spoilage alone in Canada are estimated at $200 million per year. Our innovative, rapid, and inexpensive approach to broad-spectrum disinfection has been proven both safe and effective for over a decade in Canadian hospitals, allowing tens of thousands of patients to reduce their risk of an antibiotic-resistant surgical site infection. Recognizing the impact of antibiotic resistance in the meat packing industry, we realized that we could deploy the same technology in food safety - eliminating tough, food-borne pathogens which can undermine the health and safety of all Canadians. We are delighted to be recognized by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as a key contributor in their fight against this problem and believe we are uniquely positioned to develop an effective solution."
The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food:
"Processors across the country are committed to providing safe and high-quality products to Canadians. Innovative technology helps processors achieve this standard, as it provides solutions to problems, increases productivity and maintains efficacy. The Government of Canada is committed to investing in projects that keep our food safe over the long-term."
The Honourable Hedy Fry PC Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre, British Columbia:
"I commend Ondine for all it's accomplished, not only here in Vancouver, but on behalf of Canadians. The company is helping establish a reliable technology that can keep meat safe for consumers, now and in the future. Today's investment will help Ondine continue its work, provide guidance and support the agriculture sector's long-term growth."
The project announced today is funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership's AgriScience Program, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative. The AgriScience Program aims to accelerate the pace of innovation by providing funding and support for pre-commercial science activities and cutting-edge research that benefits the agriculture and agri-food sector and Canadians. The government is contributing an estimated 50 % of the project's overall costs.
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Ondine Biomedical Inc. |
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Angelika Vance, Corporate Communications |
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Rupert Walford, Kathryn Deegan |
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Vane Percy & Roberts (Media Contact) |
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Simon Vane Percy, Amanda Bernard |
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Microbial foodborne disease
Foodborne illnesses are a major public health concern due to the high risk of microbial contamination of food. In 2010, more than 580 million illnesses and 351,000 deaths worldwide were associated with food contaminated by enteric pathogens according to a World Health Organization (WHO) estimate. Meat and meat-based products are particularly prone to contamination, accounting for more than 16% of total foodborne outbreaks in Europe in 2016.
Source: Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 688; doi:10.3390/ijerph17030688
About Ondine Biomedical Inc.
Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian headquartered company innovating in the field of photodisinfection therapies. Ondine has a pipeline of investigational products, based on its proprietary photodisinfection platform, in various stages of development. In addition to nasal photodisinfection (Ondine's lead product), products include therapies for a variety of medical indications such as chronic sinusitis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, burns, wounds, and other indications related to healthcare associated infections.
[1] https://www.fao.org/in-action/seeking-end-to-loss-and-waste-of-food-along-production-chain/en/
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