ONDINE BIOMEDICAL INC.

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

Ottawa hospital presents Steriwave study results

Nasal photodisinfection reduces hospital length of stay, readmissions and antibiotic use
in substantial study at major Ottawa hospital

·    48% shorter mean length of stay among those treated compared with those not treated (P<0.001)

·    51% fewer readmissions compared with the pre-intervention period (P<0.001)

·    33% fewer instances of return to the Emergency Department compared with the pre-intervention period (P=0.005)

·    Only 12.8% of patients who received treatment required antibiotics at 72hrs - 30 days post-surgery compared with 23.1% of patients who had not received treatment (P<0.001)

Ondine Biomedical Inc. (AIM: OBI) announces that one of Canada's top research hospitals, The Ottawa Hospital, has presented results from its 2022 quality improvement study into patient outcomes after spinal surgery when using the Company's Steriwave^TM nasal photodisinfection for the prevention of surgical site infections ('SSIs'). The study results were presented for the first time at the 2023 Annual Scientific Conference of the Canadian Spine Society in Quebec on Thursday 2 March, 2023.

The podium presentation showed that spine surgery patients treated with Ondine Biomedical's Steriwave™ nasal photodisinfection had a 48% shorter mean length of stay in hospital compared with those not treated (LOS:  5.58 days vs. 10.67, P<0.001), and significantly fewer treated patients required antibiotics at 72hrs - 30 days post-surgery compared those not treated (12.8% vs. 23.1%, P<0.001). Additionally, there was 51% reduction in the rate of readmissions (3.4% vs. 7%, P<0.001) and 33% reduction in the rate of return to the emergency department (6.9% vs. 10.3%, P=0.005) in the intervention period compared to the pre-intervention period. 

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading Canadian academic health sciences centre caring for 1.2 million patients across Eastern Ontario. It was awarded an innovation award from the Ontario Surgical Quality Improvement Network in January 2023 for the Steriwave study, which commenced in January 2022.

A total of 983 spine surgeries were performed from January to December 2022 using the hospital's standard SSI prevention bundle. Of these, 476 patients also received the 5-minute Steriwave nasal photodisinfection treatment. Outcomes measured were compared between the treated and non-treated patients and also between the intervention period and a pre-intervention historical control group of 1,192 spine surgeries performed October 2020 to October 2021, which received the same standard SSI prevention bundle without nasal photodisinfection. Steriwave nasal photodisinfection, which has already been successfully used in a number of other Canadian hospitals to reduce the incidence of SSIs, was developed by Canadian life sciences company, Ondine Biomedical.

Jason Hickok, Ondine Biomedical's VP, Medical and Clinical Affairs said:

"The recent study conducted at The Ottawa Hospital reaffirms our previous findings regarding the efficacy of Steriwave nasal photodisinfection in treating patients prior to surgery. This treatment has proven to be highly beneficial for patients and hospitals alike by eliminating a broad range of pathogens commonly found in patients' noses, thereby improving patient safety, and reducing hospital stays. Particularly in cases of spinal surgeries, where infections can be complex and require extended recovery periods with costs up to $100,000 per patient, the benefits of this treatment are significant. Given the current challenges of staffing and bed shortages in Canadian healthcare facilities, we believe that these findings from The Ottawa Hospital team are crucial for improving patient safety and hospital capacity across the country, especially with the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance."

In a single, 5-minute treatment, Steriwave eliminates infection-causing bacteria, viruses and fungi in the nose, which are a leading cause of surgical site infections._[1] Previously reported research from Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) showed that pre-surgical use of Steriwave resulted in a 78% reduction in SSIs among spine surgery patients._[2] 

**ENDS**

About Nasal Photodisinfection

Ondine's nasal photodisinfection is a patented technology using a proprietary photosensitiser (non-antibiotic, light-activated solution) to destroy pathogens. The photodisinfection treatment is carried out by a trained healthcare professional, and is an easy to use, painless, two-step process. The photosensitiser is applied to each nostril using a nasal swab, followed by illumination of the area with a specific wavelength of laser light for less than five minutes. The light activates the photosensitiser, causing an oxidative burst that is lethal to all types of pathogens. A key benefit of this approach, unlike with antibiotics, is that pathogens do not develop resistance to the therapy.

Nasal decolonisation with antibiotics is already standard practice in many hospitals prior to surgery, as pathogens in a patient's nasal cavities are a major cause of surgical site infections (SSIs). However, there is a growing need to reduce antibiotic use and find non-antibiotic methods of nasal decolonisation as resistance rates have been reported as high as 81%.[3]

Ondine's nasal photodisinfection system has a CE mark and is approved in Canada and several other countries under the name Steriwave™. It has been used in Canada for over ten years, with no serious adverse events reported. In the US, it is currently undergoing clinical trials for regulatory approval.

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. Products beyond nasal photodisinfection include therapies for a variety of medical indications such as chronic sinusitis, ventilator-associated pneumonia, burns, and other indications.