Germitec’s Hypernova Chronos Wins Prestigious Prix Galien Award for First-of-its-Kind UV-C Ultrasound Probe High Level Disinfection System

Prix Galien Honoured Hypernova Chronos
as the Best Medical Device for 2020

The Prix Galien Award, considered an equivalent of the Nobel Prize in biopharmaceutical research and medical technology research, has honoured Germitec’s Hypernova Chronos as the Best Medical Device for 2020.

Germitec, a global healthcare leader in designing UV-C High Level Disinfection systems for ultrasound probes, has radically simplified the lives of healthcare professionals in terms of safety, time, and responsibility.

The firm has received the 2020 Prix Galien Award for Best Medical Device for its Hypernova Chronos™ system, a breakthrough patent technology that replaces chemicals with photons. It is still today the only Chemical-free High Level Disinfection system for decontaminating ultrasound probes between patients.

The award recognises excellence in scientific innovation that improves the human condition globally.

Hypernova Chronos Wins Prix Galien Award

Hypernova Chronos breakthrough technology has positively changed clinical workflow practices in decontamination of ultrasound probes between patients in Womens Health (IVF), Radiology and Imaging, Urology, Outpatient/Day Surgery, Intensive Care, and Accident and Emergency.

The technology is reducing the risk of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs), which are estimated at 5-10% of hospitalised patients every year, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality.  It has been rigorously tested to kill high-risk cancer strains 16 and 18 of Human Papillomavirus that causes 70% of cervical cancer and other anogenital cancers, providing extra safety to patients.

Several studies have scientifically shown in pelvic ultrasound examinations, emphasising the potential cross-infection risk when HLD is not the standard of practice.1-13

Why High Level Disinfection is Necessary!
Webinar: How HPV systems are tested to kill high-risk cancer strains 16 and 18 of Human Papillomavirus that causes 70% of cervical cancer. Click Here

Germitec Honoured by this Prestigious Recognition

“We are honoured by this prestigious recognition. Winning the award not only highlights the breakthrough technology behind Hypernova Chronos in High Level Disinfection but the unrivalled team that worked to develop and bring it to market. An innovation with the potential to make a significant impact in minimising the cross-infection risk of pathogens from the repeated use of probes that move from patient to patient,” said Clement Deshays, CEO of Germitec.

“The innovative technology has positively changed clinical workflow practices in decontamination of ultrasound probes between patients. Especially for Womens Health (IVF), Radiology/imaging, and in the context of ultrasound-guided procedures and pulmonary ultrasound examinations in Emergency, Intensive Care, or Resuscitation.”

Emergency Departments

Fertility Medicine

Germitec Chronos

About Hypernova Chronos

Backed by more than 15 years of designing and developing hospital hygiene systems that have radically simplified the lives of healthcare professionals in terms of safety, time, and responsibility, the Hypernova Chronos is replacing impregnated chemical wipes, soak stations, and hydrogen peroxide mist with a faster, simpler, and cleaner workflow for seamless high level disinfection processes (HLD). Hypernova Chronos’s ultrafast 90-second HLD cycle time, digital traceability, and chemical-free system is changing clinical practice, enabling UV-C HLD to become the standard of care in all hospital departments and clinics.

Hypernova Chronos is approved in more than 35 countries worldwide, and now further, spanning into regions in Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the Americas.

Germitec Designed for the Best

About Germitec

Germitec® is committed to DESIGN the BEST innovations for Hospital Hygiene. Who are well known for inventing Ultraviolet Light High Level Disinfection (UV-C HLD) for reprocessing non-lumen medical devices: Hypernova Chronos and Antigermix E1. The UV-C products are designed for SPEED. SIMPLICITY. EFFICIENCY. ECO RESPONSIBILITY. PEACE OF MIND. And YOU.

They are enabling medical staff to change clinical practice to be the BEST in reducing cross-infection risk, thus improving the quality of patient care.

  1. .U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. National Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections: Road Map to Elimination. April 2013. http://1.usa.gov/1KycQcM

  2. Bloc S1, Mercadal L, Garnier T, Komly B, Leclerc P, Morel B, Ecoffey C, Dhonneur G. (2011) Evaluation of a new disinfection method for ultrasound probes used for regional anesthesia: ultraviolet C light. J Ultrasound Med. 2011 Jun;30(6):785-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21632992
  3. Clinical Guidelines COVID-19 in Australasian Emergency https://ace.mn/aac81
  4. Health Protection Scotland (HPS), NHS National Services Scotland (2017). NHS Scotland Risk Based Recommendations for the Decontamination of SemiInvasive Ultrasound Probes: Risk of infection following semi-invasive ultrasound procedures in Scotland, 2010 to 2016. Version 1.0.
  5. Leroy S. Infectious risk of endovaginal and transrectal ultrasonography: systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of hospital infection. 2013;83(2):99-106. NAN0046.
  6.  Ferhi K, Roupret M, Mozer P, Ploussard G, Haertig A, de La Taille A. Hepatitis C transmission after prostate biopsy. Case Rep Urol. 2013;2013:797248.
  7.  Maxime Pichon, Karine Lebail-Carval, Geneviève Billaud, Bruno Lina, Pascal Gaucherand and Yahia Mekki (2019) Decontamination of Intravaginal Probes Infected by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Using UV-C Decontamination System. J. Clin. Med, 8, 1776; doi:10.3390/jcm8111776.
  8. Leroy, S., et al. (2014). “Impact of vaginal-rectal ultrasound examinations with covered and low-level disinfected transducers on infectious transmissions in France.” Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 35(12): 1497-1504. 
  9. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (UK), Medical Device Alert Ref: MDA/2012/037.
  10. Casalegno and et al. High Risk HPV Contamination of Endocavity Vaginal Ultrasound Probes: An Underestimated Route of Nosocomial Infection?  PLOS ONE | 2012
  11. Meyers J, Ryndock E, Conway MJ, Meyers C, Robison R. Susceptibility of high-risk human papillomavirus type 16 to clinical disinfectants. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2014;69(6):1546-50.
  12. Meyers C, Milici J, Robison R (2017) UVC radiation as an effective disinfectant method to inactivate human papillomaviruses. PLoS ONE 12 (10): e0187377.
  13. Maxime Pichon, Karine LebailCarval, Geneviève Billaud, Bruno Lina, Pascal Gaucherand and Yahia Mekki (2019) Decontamination of Intravaginal Probes Infected by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Using UV-C Decontamination System. J. Clin. Med, 8, 1776; doi:10.3390/jcm8111776.