New solutions fighting Hospital-Acquired Infections

Three projects providing solutions to fight hospital-acquired infections are supported by BIO-X®. They share the award of SEK 6 million, to solve some of healthcare´s biggest challenges: the high frequency of infections in hospitalized patients and the increase of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

In Sweden, about one in ten patients admitted to hospital or long-term care develops a hospital-acquired infection (HAI), which on average prolongs the hospitalization period by 4 days. With an average cost of SEK 7,000 per day for care, the annual cost for the extended treatment period amounts to SEK 3.9 billion, not counting other societal costs. The problem is similar in comparable industrial countries. Within the EU, approximately 41,000 patients die from HAIs each year. In Sweden the corresponding figure is about 1,500 patients.

The three projects providing solutions to fight hospital-acquired infections aim at developing products to prevent or diagnose various types of healthcare-associated infections. A group of experts selected the best projects among 35 proposals submitted in response to the BIO-X call instigated by Uppsala BIO. The three project ideas come from healthcare personnel and researchers in Västerås and Stockholm. 

The selected innovation projects are:

Urinary tract infections

A new method to reduce injury, infection, and pain during catheterization

The new device and method will facilitate handling and reduce infections associated with catheterization.  By far the most common type of infection during hospitalization is urinary tract infection, which represents almost a third of all hospital acquired infections. Most at risk are patients who are unable to empty their bladder and/or are treated with a urinary catheter. Some 80 percent of hospital-acquired urinary tract infections are caused by catheterization.

Principal Investigator: Christopher Holmström; Catheasy Västerås AB, Västerås

Wound infections

Antibacterial and biocompatible polymers to prevent the establishment of bacteria

The polymers that are developed in this project will counteract infections during surgical procedures and prevent the establishment of bacteria and thus promote healing. Surgical wound infections account for approximately 17 percent of all healthcare-acquired infections. Each year more than 170 million surgical procedures are performed in industrialized countries. The risk for the development of surgical wound infections is therefore considerable, and with increasing antibiotic resistance, there is a need for new solutions to prevent infection.

Principal Investigator: Peter Löwenhielm; SP Sveriges Tekniska Forskningsinstitut, Stockholm

Sepsis diagnosis:

Analysis platform for ultra-rapid diagnosis of sepsis

This project combines processing of blood samples with specific detection and analysis, all in one system. This increases the potential for early and rapid diagnosis of sepsis, blood poisoning. Sepsis, is a serious infection caused by bacteria entering the blood. The onset can be very sudden, and it is vital to get the right care quickly, as sepsis leads to death in 20-30 percent of cases. Adequate treatment within 24-48 hours reduces mortality significantly. The need for a rapid diagnostic method is therefore great.

Principal Investigator: Aman Russom; KTH, Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan,  Stockholm

Need-driven product proposals

Within BIO-X, need-driven projects, with participation from industry, academia and healthcare, are run during a two-year period. In addition to the financial support of up to SEK 2 million per project, each project receives process support according to a well-established and quality-assured industrial development model. The purpose of BIO-X is to support product ideas and research to generate a competitive proof of concept, so that the projects can continue to be developed on a commercial basis, in new or established businesses.

For more information:

Karin Agerman, project manager BIO-X, tel. 070-300 88 09, karin.agerman@uppsalabio.se

Camilla Huse Bondesson, business development, tel. 070-303 13 48, chb@uppsalabio.com