Kitchener company donates medical supplies to Ukraine

A Kitchener medical device company has sent supplies to those fighting in Ukraine.

Biomiq manufactures a hypochlorous acid-based alternative to regular antiseptics, called PureCleanse, meant to treat and prevent infection in open wounds. 

Robert Fuller, Biomiq’s co-founder, said hypochlorous acid is naturally produced by our white blood cells in response to infection, making it a safer option for patients.

“There’s a lot of antiseptics that are very effective at killing [infection], but unfortunately they are very damaging to the host tissue and cells that exist,” he explained to CTV News. “Our PureCleanse solution is quite the opposite.”

Last month the organization sent 4,400 bottles, or nearly one tonne, of PureCleanse to hospitals and surgery centers in Ukraine.

“It [can be used for] anything from a skin tear, an abrasion, all the way up to very traumatic blast injuries,” Fuller said.

The donation was made in partnership with the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, which provides humanitarian support to those impacted by the Russian invasion.

The foundation’s programs coordinator told CTV News those injured in the conflict suffer from wounds that aren’t healing and getting worse.

“[PureCleanse] heals faster and the skin is not infected by the wound,” Marianna Kaminska said. “It just promotes healing.”

Biomiq claims to be the only Canadian company to manufacture the product in Ontario.

Christina Lupu, with Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence (NSWOC), is one of many medical health professionals across the province to adopt the product.

“I use it for wound healing, specifically for wound bed preparation and to help with debridement,” she said. “The time is shorter in healing and the length of the treatment is shorter.”

Kaminska believes Biomiq’s support of Ukraine is making a big difference.

“Resources are really scarce and so to have that help is very impactful,” she explained. “To feel that support from another country, from Canada, that you’re not alone in this and there is another country behind you.”

Biomiq said it also plans on sending additional product to surgical aid missions across Ukraine and Poland.