#WAAW: Mini-Interview Bactiguard

All over the Nordics the innovative power is gearing up to put new products, therapies, and preventive measures on the market that will tackle Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) from various angles. Who are the people behind these innovations and why are they committed to work ungodly hours to fight what has been referred to as a ‘silent pandemic’? Today, it is Bactiguard’s turn and NLS asked Christine Lind, CEO, Bactiguard, a few questions.

Bactiguard has developed a unique coating that prevents the formation of biofilm on medical devices and prevents infections. How could this help tackle AMR?

“The short answer is that every infection we can prevent potentially saves from having to use antibiotics. Reserving the use of antibiotics to absolute necessity in turn lowers the emergence of resistance. According to the WHO, infection prevention measures are among the most effective and cost-efficient strategies available, capable of reducing healthcare-associated infections by up to 70 percent while also playing a pivotal role in fighting antimicrobial resistance.”

According to the WHO, infection prevention measures are among the most effective and cost-efficient strategies available, capable of reducing healthcare-associated infections by up to 70 percent while also playing a pivotal role in fighting antimicrobial resistance.

“Bactiguard offers a safe, effective, and biocompatible noble-metal coating technology that makes it possible to prevent medical device related infections. The efficacy of our technology is supported by robust data accumulated from clinical studies over many years. To date, more than 100,000 patients have been part of over 40 clinical trials, ranging from case reports to randomized controlled trials, with results published in renowned, peer-reviewed journals.”

“Our studies encompass diverse patient cohorts, continents and regions, and therapeutic areas. Across the board, the studies demonstrate a significant reduction in infection rates for patients using Bactiguard-coated medical devices. Clinical studies have shown that the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections is reduced by 69 percent, of ventilator-associated pneumonia by 53 percent and of catheter-related blood infections by 52 percent with Bactiguard’s coating technology. There are also in-vitro studies showing strong efficacy against multi-resistant bacteria. Bactiguard’s technology forms an important link in the healthcare value chain in the battle against antimicrobial resistance by offering a simple and effective solution to a concrete and urgent medical need.”

What obstacles are you facing that prevent your solution to gain a greater impact?

“We must continue to raise awareness about the dangers of biofilm on medical devices and the infections it can cause. Roughly half of the infections in healthcare setting are related to medical devices. This issue not only affects patients but also jeopardizes the future efficacy of antibiotics. Even standardized surgical procedures or oncology treatments could become dangerous if these drugs cease to work.”

Roughly half of the infections in healthcare setting are related to medical devices. This issue not only affects patients but also jeopardizes the future efficacy of antibiotics.

“We have a vision of making our coating technology the global standard of care for preventing medical device related infections. While this may sound ambitious for a relatively small company like Bactiguard, the potential we see based on the infections rates in various therapeutic areas is immense. As more healthcare professionals understand our coating’s mode of action, safety and how it seamlessly integrates with the functionality of the medical device, the more they recognize the benefits of using coated medical devices. Understanding and recognition of the medical need is critical for multinational medtech companies to embrace the development of additional medical devices using the Bactiguard coating, which is an important step to enabling Bactiguard’s technology to reach patients.”

You are leading a company that has an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, and you all commit time and energy to break through with your technology, can you share your WHY?

“My why throughout my career has always been improving patients’ lives. The potential in our technology to deliver on that promise is what drives all of us at Bactiguard. We are also inspired by our technology’s inventor, chemist Billy Södervall. As early as the mid-70’s Billy was determined to find a solution to the problem of infections with uncoated devices but the first breakthrough to reach patients came in the early 90s when the US-based medtech company Bard (now part of BD) wanted to incorporate the coating technology into their best-selling urinary catheters. In 2005, medtech entrepreneur Christian Kinch founded Bactiguard to develop and commercialize the technology further. To date, more than 240 million Bactiguard coated BD catheters have been sold and safely used, effectively preventing infections. And there has not been a single adverse event reported in conjunction with the coating. Billy is today over 80 years old and is still an active innovator for Bactiguard!”

“Bactiguard licenses our technology and collaborates with global medtech companies to develop and commercialize new devices utilizing the coating technology across different therapeutic areas. Through these license partnerships, we can reach significantly more patients and protect against medical device related infections in a more meaningful way than we could do alone. The R&D team tailors the coating process in close collaboration with our license partners to each medical device and different materials to get the desired outcomes to benefit patients.”

What motivates us the most is the multiplier effect of our coating technology: patients experience fewer infections, reducing the overuse of antibiotics, and reduced antibiotics use helps combat the rise of multi-resistant bacteria.

“What motivates us the most is the multiplier effect of our coating technology: patients experience fewer infections, reducing the overuse of antibiotics, and reduced antibiotics use helps combat the rise of multi-resistant bacteria. On top of that, there is the potential for significant benefit for the healthcare systems with lower infection-related complications and associated costs. This combination effect is the ultimate why of benefiting our healthcare system and society as a whole.”