June 14, 2022 – Phages as an Alternative Technology to Combat the Global Antibiotic Resistance Crisis (Register Now)

Before antibiotics were discovered, bacteriophages (AKA phages) were utilized as antibacterial agents. Phages are viruses that exist in the environment and our bodies, and they can selectively kill both antibiotic-resistant and antibiotic-sensitive bacteria while leaving helpful bacteria and human cells unharmed. Importantly, phage-based drugs can be designed to minimize the development of future resistance or even to re-sensitize bacteria to antibiotics. Phages are also well-suited for applications in developing countries since they can be easily isolated from local contaminated environments using equipment that is readily available to scientists there.

Phages are now regaining popularity in the US and Europe with ongoing clinical trials and hundreds of patients being treated in emergency situations when antibiotics no longer worked. However, few researchers in Africa and Asia have any knowledge about phages. We are filling that gap by teaching developing world scientists how to isolate phages in their countries, then partnering with them to develop phage products locally. By empowering these scientists, our goal is to enable them to develop antibiotic alternatives for their own populations, rather than rely solely on receiving drugs from industrialized countries.

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