Reinventing the fight against bacteria, one phage at a time.

Interview of Milena Milovanović, PhD student at the FIRE Doctoral School  I’m a 2nd year PhD student with a background in Molecular Biology and Physiology and keen interest in understanding what life is. When not in the lab, I tend to my plants and walk around Paris. The title of my thesis is “Gaining insight to intrinsic phage genotype-phenotype coupling to drive disruptive novel protein selection system” co-supervised by Dr. Ariel Lindner (ELiS labs, Sorbonne Université) and Dr. Claude Loverdo (Laboratoire Jean Perrin, Sorbonne Université).   Milena Milovanović 2nd year PhD student FIRE Lab 1:  ELiS labs, Sorbonne Université Lab 2:  Laboratoire Jean Perrin, Sorbonne Université   Background :  MSc in Interdisciplinary Approaches in Life Sciences , Université Paris Cité;  BSc in Molecular Biology and Physiology , Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia Can you explain your PhD thesis to a non-specialist audience?    The title of my...

Belgian biotech AMR breakthrough as WHO warns antibiotic pipeline is failing Race for new antibiotics intensifies as WHO warns drug pipeline remains thin, and remains structurally unfit to support antibiotic innovation [Getty Images: pongvit] A Belgian biotech company says it is advancing a novel approach to one of the world’s most dangerous drug‑resistant pathogens, as the World Health Organization issues new target product profiles for urgently needed antibiotics. Obulytix, a Belgian biotechnology firm, has announced it’s developing a new class of antibacterial therapies aimed at multidrug‑resistant Gram‑negative bacteria, including  Acinetobacter baumannii  – one of the organisms highlighted in the WHO’s updated guidance. The profiles set out desired characteristics for antibiotic candidates designed to treat three critical categories of infection: severe multidrug‑resistant Gram‑negative infections; resistant Gram‑positive infections in immunocompromised or critically ill ...

ODIN grant supports collaborative project “SynPhONY” to accelerate development of phage-based therapies Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health challenge and is expected to cause more than 10 million deaths by 2050. Chronic wounds and urinary tract infections (UTIs) are particularly difficult to treat because antibiotic-resistant bacteria can protect themselves in ways that make today’s treatments non effective. This leaves patients with limited therapeutic options and highlights the unmet need for new, targeted solutions. To address this challenge, an ODIN-funded collaborative project, led by Professor Hanne Ingmer from the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, will bring together academic researchers and industry partners to develop next-generation tools for advancing phage-based therapies. Assistant Professor Ifigeneia Kyrkou and Assistant Professor Esther Lehmann played a key role in forming the consortium by pitching the project at ODIN...

France launches its first public GMP platform to produce large batches of therapeutic phages at affordable scale Frédéric Laurent ,   Hospices Civils de Lyon, France A national initiative aiming to transform phage therapy from experimental promise into accessible clinical treatment. Prof. Frédéric Laurent (Hospices Civils de Lyon, France) is leading one of the most ambitious initiatives in Europe to make therapeutic bacteriophages available at clinical scale. His work focuses on building France’s first public platform dedicated to the GMP-compliant production of therapeutic phages, a critical step for the future of phage therapy. Prof. Laurent will present the full scope of this initiative at the international meeting Targeting Phage Therapy 2026, which will take place June 9–10, 2026 in Valencia, Spain, bringing together scientists, clinicians, and biotechnology innovators working to advance phage-based medicine. Phage therapy the use of viruses that specifically infect and destro...

Phage therapy: from a renaissance to a therapeutic revolution Initially described as the "rebirth of an old treatment," phage therapy is now undergoing a true revolution. Driven by the urgency of antibiotic resistance, this century-old approach is now part of the modern therapeutic arsenal.  Phages specifically target a bacterium, replicate within it, and lyse it to spread.  Royalty-free / iStock / Getty Images Plus / via Getty Images Summary Phage therapy relies on the use of bacteriophages, natural viruses that specifically target a bacterium, within which they replicate to spread. Their specificity protects commensal bacteria, and their ability to self-magnify at the injection site gives them unique pharmacokinetic characteristics. In France, phage therapy has seen significant growth over the past five years, thanks to the development of pharmaceutical-grade phages. These can be used on a compassionate basis in clinical situations where life or function is at risk (complex...

WHO targets new antibiotics to fight hospital ‘superbugs’ New guidance encourages pharmaceutical companies to focus research where need is most urgent, amid a rising AMR threat The spread of drug-resistant infections continues to outpace the development of new antibiotics  Credit : Md Saiful Islam Khan/iStockphoto Drugmakers must focus on developing new antibiotics to fight hospital “superbugs” including meningitis and other infections that can resist last-line treatments, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. The agency on Wednesday released its latest guidance identifying the most urgently needed qualities that future antibiotics should have in order to curb the spread of drug-resistant infections – a rising threat to global health. Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) – the phenomenon where bacteria develop resistance to the drugs used to kill them – already kills over a million people a year and is forecast to kill 10 million by 2050. But the spread of drug-resistant infecti...