Ondine Biomedical Inc (AIM:OBI, OTC:OBIMF), the AIM-listed company behind light-activated antimicrobial therapies, has agreed a partnership with Hospital Ángeles, Mexico's largest private healthcare network, to pilot its Steriwave nasal photodisinfection treatment.
The multi-centre pilot follows positive results from Ondine's phase III trial of 5,188 patients across Canadian and US hospitals, which showed a 40% reduction in post-surgical infection rates compared with standard care.
Steriwave uses a light-activated agent applied to the nose before surgery to eliminate bacteria that can spread to surgical sites, offering an antibiotic-free alternative for infection prevention.
Hospital Ángeles operates 27 hospital complexes across Mexico and performs approximately 150,000 surgeries each year, using surgical robots including the da Vinci Xi and Mako SmartRobotics systems.
The initial deployment covers two sites: Hospital Ángeles Acoxpa in Mexico City, a high-volume robotic surgery centre, and Hospital Ángeles Valle Oriente in Monterrey, which serves domestic and international patients undergoing orthopaedic and cardiovascular procedures.
Both hospitals are purchasing the Steriwave treatments on a commercial basis, with a wider rollout across the network to be evaluated depending on results.
Carolyn Cross, chief executive of Ondine Biomedical, described the expansion as a major milestone in the company's commercial strategy.
She said Mexico offered a combination of advanced medical technology, clinical expertise and affordability, alongside proximity to patients in Canada, the United States and Latin America.
Mexico attracts approximately 1.4 million medical tourists annually, according to figures cited by the company, with the global medical tourism sector estimated at around $76 billion a year and forecast to exceed $174 billion within a decade.
Steriwave is authorised for nasal decolonisation in Canada, the UK and other international markets, though it remains unapproved by the US Food and Drug Administration and is restricted to investigational use in the United States.
