Addressing the Research and Development Gaps in Modern Phage Therapy.

Journal: PHAGE (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
Published Date: Mar 18, 2024

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is on the rise globally, prompting increased research and development (R&D) of phage therapy as a strategy to address difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. We review the current state of phage therapy research, including major operational, epistemic, and biological challenges for phage R&D, and discuss some new approaches to developing the technology motivated by recent breakthroughs such as artificial intelligence and synthetic phage production. In addition, we contextualize these R&D challenges and opportunities in light of the ongoing predicament of commercial antimicrobial innovation and current public-private efforts to reinvigorate the pipeline of antimicrobial drug discovery. We conclude with reflections on the potential for new phage therapies to be readily accessible across all income contexts to better ensure broad patient access, and consider possible alternatives to current public and public-private solutions for phage therapy and production.

Authors

  • Paul E Turner
    Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
  • Joana Azeredo
    Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
  • Ed T Buurman
    CARB-X, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
  • Sabrina Green
    Laboratory of Gene Technology, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
  • Jakob Krause Haaber
    SNIPR Biome ApS, Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • Douglas Haggstrom
    INCubator for Antibiotic Therapies Europe (INCATE), Basel, Switzerland.
  • Koichi Kameda de Figueiredo Carvalho
    Centre Emile Durkheim, University of Bordeaux, Talence, France.
  • Claas Kirchhelle
    School of History, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
  • Mercedes Gonzalez Moreno
    INCubator for Antibiotic Therapies Europe (INCATE), Basel, Switzerland.
  • Jean-Paul Pirnay
    Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Technology, Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Mirza Alas Portillo
    School of History, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.

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