Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 48
Further research needed on long-term phage interactions and optimal engineering strategies
Conclusion
Phages have been used as therapy for over a hundred years, and much of the fundamental science relating to phages is understood. However, there is still more that the global and UK research communities can learn. Further research will be able to establish key issues such as long-term interactions between phages and human hosts and how phages can be engineered to maximum effect, to work alone or in combination with antibiotics. Such research will help hone phage therapeutics and clinical practice. The UK is well placed to conduct this research as it has a number of leading phage research centres and academics, and access to world class genomic sequencing and bioinformatic resources and experts.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government recognised the importance of research into non-traditional therapies like phages and committed to continuing to monitor the AMR clinical and research pipeline. It also stated it would not produce annual reports exclusively on phages but would regularly review the broader 5-year AMR National Action Plan.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
48
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
The government is committed to exploring alternative therapies, including bacteriophages, to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The 2024 to 2029 AMR NAP is being developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders and will include research and innovation priorities. The NAP reflects the broad spectrum of interventions needed to tackle AMR. The government recognises the importance of research into non-traditional therapies that could tackle AMR and that phage therapy is one of the options that merits further exploration. UKHSA works with researchers both in the UK and internationally to support phage-related research, as described in written and oral evidence provided to the committee. This support aims to improve the chances of successful research funding and translation of phage into clinical use. Examples of the support offered includes, but is not limited to, the following current activities: 1. Access for researchers to bacterial strain panels, biofilm, and infection models for evaluation of the efficacy of phage and phage-cocktails against clinically relevant bacterial strains. Delivered through an Open Innovation AMR programme and previously supported by an NIHR infrastructure grant (NIHR200658), this enables researchers to work directly with UKHSA to evaluate new approaches and generate data to support grants and funding applications 2. Expertise and novel approaches for the rapid susceptibility profiling of clinical isolates against phage or phage cocktails, to support the development of phage cocktails, the provision of data to clinicians looking to use phage in clinical settings and, in the longer term, aiming to support patient recruitment into clinical trials 3. Studies exploring the synergy and antagonism of phage when used with 'standard of care' antibiotics and looking at the changes in antimicrobial susceptibility and virulence linked to emergence of phage-resistance in WHO priority pathogens 4. Working with others to develop new concepts of use and target product profiles (TPPs) for phage, to support their evaluation and implementation in the clinic 5. Working with others to understand the appropriate regulatory frameworks for the manufacture of phage for clinical use, aligned with the concepts of use for different patient groups. Evaluation of novel methods for GMP that could support future clinical implementation of phage In addition to these current activities, UKHSA will consider appropriate activity to develop further research partnerships in this area alongside the NIHR Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs).
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