Ondine Biomedical Inc. announced that a new study published in the journal Antibiotics found that antimicrobial photodisinfection therapy (aPDT), using Ondine Biomedical Inc.'s proprietary methylene blue-based photosensitizer in combination with a specific wavelength of light, effectively eradicated pathogen biofilms commonly associated with periprosthetic joint infections. The results of this study suggest that photodisinfection could be used as an effective treatment method for PJIs, replacing current, more invasive approaches and potentially shortening antibiotic treatment. This would not only improve patients' quality of life, but also reduce morbidity, mortality, antibiotic resistance, and the high healthcare costs associated with treating these infections.

The in vitro study, conducted by a research team from University Hospital Zurich, found that photodisinfection achieved 100% kill of the key pathogens in biofilms associated with PJIs. These included the ESKAPE pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and also Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Cutibacterium acnes, with no regrowth. The photodisinfection treatment did not cause any relevant surface modification on any of the different prosthesis materials, suggesting that the therapy does not harm the material and is safe to use in vivo.