Ondine’s Steriwave Expands into ENT Surgery in Spain

Ondine’s Steriwave Expands into ENT Surgery in Spain

Ondine Biomedical Inc, a leader in light-activated antimicrobial therapies, has expanded into Spain.  Its Steriwave® nasal photodisinfection technology will be used in two clinics – Malaga and Madrid - to treat patients undergoing ear nose and throat operations to reduce Surgical Site Infections (SSI’s).

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

Many ENT procedures which involve operating in, or passing through, the nasal cavity represent an important growth area for Steriwave because of the risk of SSI’s. In the USA there are more than 600,000 procedures performed annually.

Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) is the second more common chronic disease condition affecting about 12%-15% of adults in western countries¹. 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 worsen¹. 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 Pseudomonas³. These “superbugs” can form persistent biofilms, significantly increase post-surgical risk and further disrupt the nasal microbiome⁴.

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.

​