Select Committee · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee

The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages

Status: Closed Opened: 9 Nov 2022 Closed: 28 May 2024 23 recommendations 10 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry is informed by the successful pitch to the Committee’s My Science inquiry. The World Health Organisation has warned that antibiotic resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today, while the Government’s Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance, Dame Sally Davies, has called AMR the ‘silent pandemic’. … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages HC 328 3 Jan 2024 33 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
24 Conclusion First Report - The antimicrobial potent… Accepted in Part

Good Manufacturing Practice requirements create impasse for UK phage development

One of the major obstacles to phage clinical trials in the UK has been the requirement for GMP phages. However, regulators require that for phages to achieve GMP standards they must themselves have first been subject to clinical trials. This impasse is stalling the development of phages in the UK. … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that MHRA's draft non-binding advisory guidance will define standards for licensed phages and clarifies that phages for named-patient use require GMP standards but not clinical trials or marketing authorization, thus providing clarity on the described conundrum.
Read full response →
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
26 Apr 2023 Dr Jonathan Pearce · Medical Research Council, Dr Marc Bailey · Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Dr Morwenna Carrington · Department for Health and Social Care, Dr Tim Jinks · Wellcome Trust, Professor Isabel Oliver · UK Health Security Agency, Professor Mark Sutton · UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Richard Hebdon · Innovate UK View ↗
15 Mar 2023 Dr Hans Petter Kleppen · ACD Pharma, Dr Jean-Paul Pirnay · Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Brussels, Dr Mzia Kutateladze · George Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology, Greg Merril · Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Naomi Zak · BiomX, Professor Jon Iredell · The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Professor Robert Schooley · UC San Diego School of Medicine View ↗
8 Feb 2023 Dr James Soothill · Great Ormond Street Hospital Laboratory Medicine, Dr Josh Jones · NHS Tayside, Mr David Browning · Fixed Phage LTD, Ms Stephanie Lesage · Oxford Silk Phage Technologies Ltd, Professor Cath Rees · University of Nottingham, Professor Joanne M. Santini · University College London, Professor Martha Clokie · University of Leicester View ↗

Who gave evidence

21 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Dr Hans Petter Kleppen · Chief Science Officer ACD Pharma 1
Dr James Soothill · Consultant Microbiologist Great Ormond Street Hospital Laboratory Medicine 1
Dr Jean-Paul Pirnay · Head of the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular … Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Brussels 1
Dr Jonathan Pearce · Director of Strategy and Planning Medical Research Council 1
Dr Josh Jones · Clinical Phage Specialist NHS Tayside 1
Dr Marc Bailey · Chief Science, Research & Innovation Officer Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 1
Dr Morwenna Carrington · Deputy Director for UK Health Security Department for Health and Social Care 1
Dr Mzia Kutateladze · Director George Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology 1
Dr Tim Jinks · Head of Infectious Disease Interventions Wellcome Trust 1
Greg Merril · Chief Operating Officer Adaptive Phage Therapeutics 1
Mr David Browning · Chief Executive Officer Fixed Phage LTD 1
Ms Stephanie Lesage · Co-Founder/Director and Chief Executive Officer Oxford Silk Phage Technologies Ltd 1
Naomi Zak · Founder BiomX 1
Professor Cath Rees · Professor of Microbiology University of Nottingham 1
Professor Isabel Oliver · Scientific Officer UK Health Security Agency 1
Professor Joanne M. Santini · Professor of Microbiology University College London 1
Professor Jon Iredell · Director, Centre for Infectious Diseases and Micr… The Westmead Institute for Medical Research 1
Professor Mark Sutton · Environmental Physicist UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology 1
Professor Martha Clokie · Professor of Microbiology University of Leicester 1
Professor Robert Schooley · Professor of Division of Infectious Diseases UC San Diego School of Medicine 1
Richard Hebdon · Director Health and Life Sciences Innovate UK 1