Video credit: Guru Productions and Channel 9
Spritz-OM is a novel patent-protected nasal therapy set to prevent ear infections. Almost every child experiences a middle ear infection by their 2nd birthday. One in 4 suffer repeat infections, often resulting in hearing loss and requiring antibiotics and surgery. Spritz-OM targets the major pathogen that is responsible for over 50% of the 700 million annual ear infections worldwide. That pathogen is nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), which is also a major pathogen in sinusitis, pneumonia and chronic lung diseases. There are no approved preventative therapies that successfully target this pathogen.
Preventing over half of the world’s ear infections with a therapy such as Spritz-OM will significantly improve health and educational outcomes on a global scale. Less ear infections means fewer GP visits and antibiotic scripts, less time off work/school for families, shortened hospital waiting lists, reduced demand for audiology and speech therapy, and improved educational outcomes; all permitting redirection of healthcare and education resources, in addition to providing a solution to reduce antibiotic consumption to curb the alarming rise in antimicrobial resistance.
Read more in our recent publication on this in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
The Spritz-OM team
The Spritz-OM development team is based in Perth, Western Australia at The Kids Research Institute Australia. The team is led by Associate Professor Lea-Ann Kirkham, a research microbiologist and co-inventor of Spritz-OM. Paediatric Immunologist Professor Peter Richmond is co-inventor of Spritz-OM and clinical advisor on the team, providing expert guidance in product development for clinical trials. A/Prof Alma Fulurija provides extensive biotech and commercialisation expertise, guiding the path to market for this exciting discovery. The team are currently manufacturing clinical grade product suitable for human use and raising funds for a Phase 1 trial.
The team was one of 9 finalists on the 2023 CSIRO ON Accelerate program – a national accelerator program designed to launch research-driven companies into market.
See here for more information: https://research.csiro.au/onalumni/spritzom/
For more information on Spritz-OM, including opportunities for investment please contact the team: lea-ann.kirkham@telethonkids.org.au