TSO3 Completes Additional Studies, Files Extended U.S. Claims for Breakthrough Medical Device Sterilizer

Company Submits Required Documentation Seeking Clearance to Extend Sterilization Claims to Include up to Eight Channels in a Single Device for its STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer – an Industry First

QUÉBEC CITY, Dec. 22, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - TSO₃ Inc. (TSX: TOS), an innovator in sterilization technology for medical devices in healthcare settings, has filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently completed studies that support an expanded indication for use of its STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer.

Regulatory clearance of the additional claims would represent an entirely new level of patient protection against ineffective device reprocessing resulting from the use of less robust disinfecting systems, particularly for flexible endoscopes.

The expanded claims sought for the STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer correspond to increasing scrutiny by regulatory authorities over medical device reprocessing, particularly for colonoscopes and other complex medical devices used during minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Much of this concern stems from patient-to-patient transfer of multidrug-resistant bacteria that are not inactivated by high-level disinfection. Published reports confirm the significant health risk of device-related transfer of antibiotic resistant microbes, including patient injury or death.

Disinfection is significantly less effective than sterilization because it does not necessarily kill all harmful microorganisms, especially bacterial spores. Low temperature sterilization with the STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer offers a more effective solution, since it involves a proprietary physical and chemical process that thoroughly destroys all types of microbiological organisms with a sterility assurance level of 10^-6 (SAL^-6). Further, the evidence the Company has provided to the FDA confirms that the STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer can sterilize up to eight channels in a single device, an industry first for any medical device sterilization process.

"The latest studies continue to support the unrivaled capabilities of our STERIZONE^® Sterilization System," said TSO₃ president and CEO, R.M. (Ric) Rumble. "In addition to the already existing multiple advantages of the STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer, these milestone results extend the promise of the STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer to revolutionize the medical industry's standard of care."

The STERIZONE^® Sterilization System has already achieved a number of industry-firsts:

• First and only dual-sterilant sterilizer cleared by the U.S. FDA for sale in the U.S.
• First low-temperature sterilizer with a load-sensitive Dynamic Sterilant Delivery System™
• First documented "wet" cycle with validated micro-condensation sterilant layer
• First Biological Indicator Test Pack to survive past the first half-cycle
• First single cycle, low-temperature sterilizer cleared to process a 75-pound load of general instruments, single channel flexible endoscopes, rigid and semi-rigid channeled device

About the STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer
The STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer is a low-temperature (41°C or 105.8°F) sterilization system that utilizes the dual-sterilants of vaporized hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and ozone (O₃) to achieve terminal sterilization of heat and moisture sensitive medical devices. Its single pre-programmed cycle can sterilize a large number and wide range of compatible devices, creating a cost-effective, error-free sterilization process. The device's unique Dynamic Sterilant Delivery System™ automatically adjusts the quantity of injected sterilant based on the load composition, weight and temperature. This capability removes the guesswork and potential for human error, as there is no need to sort instruments and choose the appropriate cycles as with other machines.

The STERIZONE^® VP4 Sterilizer is the only low temperature sterilizer that can process a mixed load consisting of general instruments, single channel flexible endoscopes, and single or double channel rigid endoscopes in the same cycle with load weights of up to 75 lb. This ability to run mixed loads significantly reduces labor costs by minimizing the amount of instrument sorting required, while maximizing the device turns (more productivity from increased throughput capacity). Other H₂O₂ sterilizers are limited to load weights of up to only 25 lb and require dedicated fixed cycles for different types of instruments (reducing overall throughput).

The sterilizer is cleared for commercialization in the United States and in Canada.

About TSO₃
Founded in 1998, TSO₃'s activities encompass the sale, production, maintenance, research, development and licensing of sterilization processes, related consumable supplies and accessories for heat-sensitive medical devices. The Company designs products for sterile processing areas in the hospital environment that offer an advantageous replacement solution to other low temperature sterilization processes currently used in hospitals. It also offers services related to the maintenance of sterilization equipment and compatibility testing of medical devices with such processes. For more information about TSO₃, visit the company's web site at www.tso3.com or contact Liolios Group at 949 574-3860 or email [email protected] or Renmark Financial Communications at 416 644-2020 or 514 939-3989 or by email at [email protected]. 

The statements in this release and oral statements made by representatives of TSO₃ relating to matters that are not historical facts (including, without limitation, those regarding the timing or outcome of any financing undertaken by TSO₃) are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks, uncertainties and hypotheses, including, but not limited to, general business and economic conditions, the condition of the financial markets, the ability of TSO₃ to obtain financing on favourable terms and other risks and uncertainties.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

The TSX has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein and accepts no responsibility for it.

SOURCE TSO3 Inc.

Company Contact: TSO, Inc., R.M. (Ric) Rumble, President and CEO, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]; Investor Relations: Liolios Group, Inc., Chris Tyson, Tel: [phone], [email protected]; Renmark Financial Communications Inc., Barry Mire, Tel: [phone] or 514 939-3989, [email protected]