CEO and Founder of Swiftsure Innovation Deanne McCarthy has experienced first-hand the amount of care required for mechanically ventilated patients. For her company, Newfoundland-based Swiftsure Innovation, above all, their mission is to support patients by developing products that will help prevent hospital-acquired infections.

To do this, Swiftsure created a novel device that aims to revolutionize oral care for ventilated patients. Their new solution focuses on improving patient outcomes, protecting frontline workers and benefiting hospitals.

Swiftsure is the latest company to join Emergence, Atlantic Canada’s bioscience business incubator dedicated to assisting start-ups and growth-stage companies in efficiently bringing their products and services to market.

“With the assistance of Emergence, we are doing market research to establish current perceptions of oral care to receive direct input from end users about our device. Establishing feedback from ICU physicians, Registered Nurses, and Respiratory Therapists is an essential part of driving a design that will best serve patients and improve patient outcomes,” said Deanne McCarthy, CEO and Founder, Swiftsure Innovation. “Being supported by Emergence has helped Swiftsure progress in a very meaningful way. It is great to have such awesome support here in Atlantic Canada!”

The challenge with ventilators

While mechanical ventilation provides life-saving treatment for critically ill patients, the problem is that the endotracheal tube that connects the ventilator to the patient’s lungs provides a direct route for germs to enter the lungs. This can result in ventilator-acquired pneumonia, the most fatal and costly of hospital-acquired infections. The problem associated with ventilators has also intensified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Swiftsure is developing a device that will facilitate the moisturization and cleansing of the mouth and nose of patients on ventilators by flushing them with fluid. Their product will also improve the seal for further germ prevention. They are currently in the design development phase, working with partners at the National Research Council and Dalhousie University. In 2020, they were the winner of the 10th annual BioInnovation Challenge pitch competition at BioPort 2020.

As a client of Emergence, Swiftsure will have access to business incubation services including mentorship and advisory services, team mentorship program as well as access to networks and resources.

For more information on Emergence, visit emergencebioincubator.com.