Ovik Mkrtchyan on Reducing Infection Risks Through Innovation

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain one of the most persistent challenges in modern medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly stressed that these infections pose a daily threat in hospitals and clinics worldwide, urging countries to strengthen their infection prevention and control systems. Ovik Mkrtchyan, entrepreneur, inventor, and founder of New Medical Technologies (NMT), is among the experts highlighting how innovation in sterilisation and disinfection can play a decisive role in addressing this problem.

The scale of the issue is striking. WHO estimates suggest that millions of patients acquire at least one HAI every year across the globe, leading to extended hospital stays, additional treatment costs, and, in too many cases, fatal outcomes. The burden is particularly heavy in intensive care units and in departments where vulnerable patients — such as newborns or those undergoing complex procedures — require invasive interventions. Antibiotic resistance further compounds the problem, with resistant pathogens now contributing to millions of deaths annually.

Why traditional approaches are not enough

Conventional sterilisation methods from high-temperature processing to chemical disinfectants have been essential in healthcare for decades. But they were developed for a very different era, when medical instruments were less complex and antimicrobial resistance far less widespread. Today, hospitals depend on a growing range of delicate devices, from micro-optics to endoscopes, that cannot withstand repeated exposure to steam or harsh chemicals without being damaged. The result is a systemic dilemma: either risk compromising sterilisation standards or risk degrading essential instruments that are costly and difficult to replace.

This dilemma becomes even more critical against the backdrop of antimicrobial resistance. According to European health authorities, multidrug-resistant pathogens now account for a substantial proportion of hospital-acquired infections. This is precisely why, as Ovik Mkrtchyan points out, lapses in sterilisation can have life-threatening consequences. ‘Healthcare systems need new solutions that work alongside existing methods, not just replacements but complementary tools that close the gaps we currently face,’ he says. 

Innovation in viral inactivation

These limitations have driven research into alternative strategies, among which photodynamic inactivation (PDI) has emerged as one of the most promising. The method relies on a photosensitising agent that, when exposed to light of a specific wavelength, produces reactive oxygen species. These highly active molecules damage the DNA or RNA of microorganisms, leading to their inactivation. Because the mechanism is based on oxidative stress rather than targeted metabolic pathways, microorganisms are far less likely to develop resistance compared to antibiotic treatment. And since it does not depend on high heat or corrosive chemicals, PDI can be applied to instruments and surfaces that are otherwise difficult to process.

In this area, NMT has developed and patented a viral inactivation method tailored for medical use. Its value lies not only in neutralising pathogens but also in addressing the practical realities of hospital work. Sterilisation is about more than eliminating microbes — it is also about protecting delicate and costly equipment, ensuring rapid instrument turnaround, and keeping clinical workflows uninterrupted. PDI offers advantages on all these fronts: it can help preserve sensitive devices, speed up reprocessing, and add an extra margin of safety in departments where even small lapses can have serious consequences. Obstetrics, neonatology, and intensive care are among the areas where incremental improvements in infection control can make a measurable difference for patient outcomes.

As Ovik Mkrtchyan stresses, the ultimate test is not the technology itself but how well it integrates into real-world practice: “New methods will only matter if they prove reliable in clinical conditions and can be incorporated into routine protocols. That is the challenge, but also the opportunity, for approaches like photodynamic inactivation.”

From laboratory to clinical practice

Global demand for viral inactivation technologies is rising quickly. Analysts forecast that the market will surpass USD 8 billion by the end of the decade, reflecting growing awareness of the need for advanced sterilisation solutions. But experts underline that the crucial step lies in translating innovation from research into daily practice.

For healthcare systems, this means finding methods that combine scientific reliability with practical usability. Hospitals are increasingly looking for solutions that not only neutralise pathogens effectively but also integrate smoothly into existing routines. In this respect, viral inactivation technologies are seen as a promising addition to the broader infection-control toolkit, with the potential to become part of standard hospital practice within the coming years.

Looking ahead

Photodynamic inactivation is not intended to replace established sterilisation but to complement it as part of a multimodal strategy. Its potential is particularly strong in departments where delicate instruments are used, or where patients are especially vulnerable to infection.

“Innovation matters — but not for its own sake,” Ovik Mkrtchyan concludes. “It matters when it demonstrably improves patient safety. If we can make these technologies accessible, reliable, and practical, then they can play a decisive role in reducing the global burden of healthcare-associated infections.”