OMAHA, Nebraska (December 5, 2024)—University Medical Devices, a UNMC startup and UNeMed’s 2023 Startup of the Year, today announced the launch of its first specimen collection method, MicroWash. Developed by UNMC ER nurse Thang Nguyen, PhD, and Emergency Medicine Chair, Michael Wadman, MD, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, MicroWash is a comfortable and highly sensitive nasal lavage specimen collection device providing a less invasive alternative to nasal swabs.

In the coming months, the device is set to be piloted within select sectors of the healthcare industry to evaluate how well it integrates with existing clinical workflows. This will help refine the device before MicroWash’s broader market release in 2025.

“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need for higher-sensitivity test sampling options when it comes to upper respiratory infections – and as a group of medical professionals, we knew it would be critical to evolve beyond the swab,” said UMD Founder, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Nicholas Lorenzo, MD, MHCM, CPE, FAAPL. “That’s why we created MicroWash. This initial introduction of the device is just our first step in bringing this markedly improved sampling experience to the wider medical community.”

MicroWash is a fast, easy-to-use and comfortable nasal sample device that can be used by healthcare professionals with minimal training in diverse clinical settings. It involves washing the nasal passage with sterile saline to collect a sample from the nose. The saline effluent specimen can then be used for diagnostic testing. Both internal and independent academic research supports MicroWash’s superiority, from sample sensitivity to user experience.

“Testing aversion has long been a barrier to effective disease management – We certainly saw that with COVID-19,” Lorenzo said. “We knew there was an urgent need to design a device that delivers superior sample sensitivity while prioritizing comfort and safety for both patients and providers. Let’s face it – no one enjoys a swab jammed up their nose. With MicroWash, that discomfort is history, and we have a better shot at mitigating future global pandemics.”

In addition to increased comfort and ease of use, the MicroWash:

• Collects a 2 mL sample, with an up to 49% increase in sensitivity compared to nasal swab samples
• Has a long three-year shelf life
• Leverages the same lab processes with fewer extraction errors
• Decreases clinician infection risk and is easily and reliably administered

Discover how MicroWash is setting a new standard in sample collection and sign up for updates on market availability.

A video using an early prototype demonstrates how the technology works while improving on traditional swabs: